Fender's British office raided by (CMA)

[Mick]

Guitar maker Fender together with four Japanese keyboard companies had their British offices dawn-raided by government body called the Competitive Market Authority (CMA) under suspicion of price fixing. 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/05/27/guitar-maker-fender-four-japanese-musical-instrument-manufacturers/

https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases

[Joom]

Interesting, Mick...

[Hinfrance]

I read the article - potential infractions include 'controlled sales to parts of a country' - if that's the case then Gibson are definitely guilty, they've been taking product away from outlets with lower sales volumes for years, as well as other things - even Thomann was blacklisted at one time because Gibson didn't like their LP copies. My local music store is one they have refused to supply - it's all Fender and the odd Ibanez now. Not a Gibson or Epi anywhere to be seen.