Man Utd accused of fixing kit prices

COMPETITION watchdogs are set to find 11 companies, including Manchester United and the English Football Association, guilty of fixing the price of replica soccer kits.

The Office of Fair Trading said it was writing to the companies setting out why it proposes to find that they 'entered into a number of agreements to fix the price of football kits manufactured and supplied by Umbro, infringing Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998'.

The companies involved are: Umbro Holdings, JJB Sports, John David Sports, Sports Soccer, Allsports, Blacks Leisure, Manchester United, Debenhams, Florence Clothiers (trading as Sportsconnection), Sportsetail and the FA. They now have the opportunity to make oral and written representations which will be taken into account before the OFT makes a final decision.

Shares in Manchester United fell 5% to 112 3/4p, JD Sports was down 3% at 337 1/2p, JJB Sports fell 6% to 347 1/2p, Debenhams was down 2% at 375p and Blacks Leisure was 4% lower at 227 1/2p.

A spokesman for Manchester United refused to comment, saying it would be inappropriate to do so before he had seen the OFT's proposed decision.