FIN.

PSR provisionally identifies pre-paid card cartel

PSR has announced that it has issued a Statement of Objections that alleges that Mastercard, allpay, APS, PFS and Sulion engaged in anti-competitive behaviour by agreeing not to compete or poach each other’s clients.

The case relates to pre-paid cards that are used by local authorities to distribute welfare payments to vulnerable members of society, such as the homeless, victims of domestic violence and asylum seekers.

The Statement of Objections sets out the PSR’s case against the parties but is not the end of the investigation and the parties now have the opportunity to make representations on the provisional findings.

In February 2021 Mastercard, allpay and PFS agreed to settle with PSR and admitted that they took part in the alleged anticompetitive arrangement(s) and have agreed to pay maximum fines totalling over £32million if PSR ultimately concludes there have been breaches.

Duncan Scott