Perfume & cosmetic price-fixing in the UK

Following the recent accusations of perfume price fixing in France, the UK is taking steps to investigate possible price fixing on perfume and cosmetics, according to the Times Online:

Edward Davey, the trade and industry spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, called on the Office of Fair Trading to conduct an investigation into the industry. “It looks like women across Britain are being denied value for money when they buy cosmetics because competition and choice are being stifled,” he said.

A similar case against Federated Department Stores, Estee Lauder and others has been winding its way through the US Courts for years. If it has had any effect on prices, I certainly haven’t noticed.