Yamaha, Korg, Roland and Casio are all facing legal action after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) previously found that each of them took steps to fix the prices of their products in the UK over a number of years. The cases are being brought by global law firm Pogust Goodhead, which recently launched similar proceedings against Fender.
The CMA concluded that each of the manufacturers had unlawfully directed sellers to price items at a minimum cost or block discounts and reductions on price. Pogust Goodhead estimates that this may have led to customers being charged between 10 and 20 percent more than they should have been for the companies’ products, and believes that they could be entitled to compensation.
The firm has set up a website, myinstrumentclaim.com, for anyone who believes that they may have been affected and wishes to speak to lawyers.
Yamaha previously admitted to entering into an unlawful agreement with one of its UK sellers between March 2013 and March 2017, but was granted immunity to fines by the CMA because of the role it played in bringing the case to the regulator’s attention.
Korg was fined for its actions in the period between June 2015 and April 2019, Casio between 2015 and 2019, and Roland between January 2011 and April 2019.
In response to news of the legal action, Yamaha told MusicRadar that, as the case is ongoing, it has no comment to make. Korg, Roland, Fender and Casio are yet to respond.
