UK’s CMA Flags Competition Issues In Getty-Shutterstock Merger

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it has provisionally identified competition concerns related to the supply of editorial content in the United Kingdom (UK) in the proposed merger between Getty Images and Shutterstock. However, the regulator cleared the transaction in the global stock content segment.

Both companies said they disagreed with the CMA’s provisional findings on editorial content and plan to submit responses by the March 12 deadline. They also said they will continue engaging with the U.S. Department of Justice, which is reviewing the deal. The proposed USD 3.7 billion merger is under review by regulators in the United Kingdom and the United States over its potential impact on competition in markets serving the media and creative sectors. In November, the CMA announced a Phase 2 investigation after stating that remedies proposed by the companies did not address its concerns.