February 15, 2012
‘Health care providers could professionalize purchasing processes by joining forces in purchasing combinations, and by opting for public tenders. Such steps would force manufacturers and suppliers of medical equipment to submit their best offers possible, and could lead to cost savings,’ says Henk Don, member of the Board of the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa), after analyzing the results of the sector study on medical equipment (such as artificial hips, x-ray machines, stoma devices, and surgical masks). This study was commissioned by the NMa and the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, and was carried out... Read more
February 13, 2012
The planned merger between Dutch convenience food manufacturers Buitenfood (with its flagship brands Van Dobben and Kwekkeboom) and Ad van Geloven (with its flagship brand Mora) may impede competition in the market for frozen food snacks. The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) has therefore decided that this merger requires a license. This means that the NMa will launch a further investigation into the planned merger’s potential effects on competition. Read more
February 10, 2012
The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) finds the quality of most price comparison sites for savings products and travel insurances substandard. ‘Price comparison sites can be extremely useful tools for consumers, but then they had better be complete, accurate, and transparent,’ Henk Don, member of the Board of the NMa, emphasizes. ‘Because if they are not, consumers are still left in the dark, as it would be unclear whether they are truly presented the best option.’ The NMa recommends consumers to consult multiple price comparison sites. In addition, it is advisable to check the website of the prospective provider (of... Read more
