Reckitt Benckiser is facing claims of abusing its market position from the Office of Fair Trading to protect its Gaviscon antacid brand.
The OFT said Reckitt – the household goods giant that makes Cillit Bang and Dettol – had “sought to restrict competition to its Gaviscon brand” in the NHS by withdrawing Gaviscon Original Liquid from the NHS prescription channel.
That meant doctors were more likely to prescribe its more expensive Gaviscon Advance Liquid instead.
“This case raises significant and complex competition issues relating to the supply of prescription drugs to the NHS,” said Simon Williams, the OFT’s senior goods director.
The competition watchdog will now await a response from Reckitt before deciding whether the company has infringed competition law. If found guilty of market abuse, the company could face a multimillion-pound fine.
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