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Press Release

Which? kicks off over football shirt rip-off

8 February 2007

Consumer champion Which? has warned JJB Sports it intends to sue on behalf of people who have been unlawfully overcharged for football shirts.

The sportswear retailer was one of seven companies fined by the Office of Fair Trading in 2003 for running a cartel that unlawfully fixed the price of England and Manchester United football shirts in 2000 and 2001.

Using its new legal powers under the Enterprise Act 2002, Which? is the only organisation in the UK so far given powers to launch a representative action of this kind.

Although JJB Sports has paid a £6.7m fine to the government, Which? now plans to bring an action for damages to pay back the people who were overcharged.

The not-for-profit organisation is appealing to people who bought certain shirts during 2000 and 2001 - even if they no longer have a receipt - to log onto which.co.uk/football-shirts and register their claim.

If Which? succeeds in winning a pay-out to consumers at the Competition Appeals Tribunal, it will be able to deal the payment back out to those who were ripped off.

Malcolm Coles, Online Editor, Which?, says:
“We hope it will soon be payback time for JJB Sports. They ripped off their customers, so we think it’s only fair they should have to pay them back.

“A case like this has never been launched before, so we need as much evidence as we can get. If you bought an England or Manchester United football shirt in 2000 or 2001, register your claim at which.co.uk/football-shirts.

“We can’t promise a big payout, but we’ll do all we can to get justice for consumers.”
JJB Sports has two weeks to respond. After this time, Which? will consider filing the action at the Competition Appeals Tribunal.



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