UK Watchdog CMA Orders In-Depth Probe Into Getty–Shutterstock Merger

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it will conduct an in-depth probe into the planned USD 3.7 billion merger between Getty Images and Shutterstock. The decision follows the companies’ failure to resolve competition concerns raised during the Phase 1 review.

The CMA said it received feedback from businesses, trade associations, and the News Media Association, warning that the merger could raise prices and reduce the quality of editorial and stock photography services for UK media and creative sectors. Getty and Shutterstock had proposed a complex set of remedies, but the regulator found them inadequate. Getty said it was disappointed by the decision but remains committed to the merger, as does Shutterstock. The CMA earlier noted that the deal could significantly harm competition in the stock imagery market, already under pressure from generative AI tools.