The Russell Group of Supermarkets

It wouldn't be allowed, would it? The chairmen of the UK's biggest retailers by volume meet at London's Russell Hotel to 'co-ordinate strategy', secure their common interests, and put out joint press releases through a shared media office...

Not only retailers; secondary education. Independent schools had to pay hefty fines and promise not to do it again, when their bursars were caught concluding.

Don't worry though. Competition in the HE sector is working well. Here is the Office of Fair Trading report that says so.

https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/53355970ed915d630e000017/OFT1529s.pdf

A few thoughts occur.

1 Isn't it a remarkable coincidence that one of the chapters of the report bears the title of the RG's key publication "Informed Choices"

2 Why has UCAS suppressed mid-cycle institution level applications data?

3 There is a wonderful paragraph here

"In addition, regulation can help to manage some of the risks associated with 'unrestrained' competition. For instance, in markets such as higher education, where students cannot know everything about what an institution will deliver in advance, effective regulation can play a vital role in preventing a potential 'race to the bottom' in standards which might harm not only students, but also the overall reputation of the sector."

I thought I would rewrite it in the hope of reintroducing conveyancing minimum scale fees.

In addition, regulation can help to manage some of the risks associated with 'unrestrained' competition. For instance, in markets such as conveyancing, where housebuyers cannot know everything about what a solicitors' practice will deliver in advance, effective regulation can play a vital role in preventing a potential 'race to the bottom' in standards which might harm not only housebuyers, but also the overall reputation of the legal profession..
4 Why is there only one Competition Commission?

Clearly nothing to see here... it's been proposed that unis be exempted from the freedom of information act (and of course UCAS already is) http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/education/article4664872.ece which would, it seems to me, put unis into a strange class of publicly funded but not publicly accountable bodies.