The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has made its first use of new enforcement powers granted in 2024, imposing a substantial £473,000 penalty on Euro Car Parks. The private parking company, known for issuing fines to motorists, was penalized for failing to respond to multiple information requests from the regulator over a three-month period.
Unprecedented Enforcement Action
This landmark case represents the first time the CMA has exercised its enhanced fining authority, which was established through legislative changes in 2024. The regulator issued the penalty after Euro Car Parks ignored seven separate information requests delivered via registered post, email, and hand-delivered letters between September and December 2025.
Legal Obligations Ignored
Information notices are essential tools that enable the CMA to gather facts and determine whether to open formal investigations. Businesses have a strict legal obligation to comply with these requests, which are not optional according to regulatory guidelines.
Hayley Fletcher, the CMA's senior director of consumer enforcement, emphasized the seriousness of the situation. "This is the first time we've used our new powers to fine a company for failing to respond to such a notice," she stated. "It sends a clear message: firms that don't reply to our requests or refuse to comply risk facing penalties like this one."
Company's Failed Legal Challenge
Euro Car Parks attempted to prevent the CMA from publicly naming the company by seeking a High Court injunction earlier this week. However, the court refused the application, allowing the regulator to proceed with announcing the penalty and the company's identity.
In its defense, Euro Car Parks claimed it had blocked the CMA's emails, believing them to be potential scam attempts. The regulator dismissed this explanation, stating it "did not consider this a reasonable excuse" for the three-month non-compliance period.
Substantial Financial Penalty
The £473,000 fine represents 75% of the maximum possible fixed charge under the CMA's enforcement powers. Regulators can impose penalties of up to 1% of a company's annual turnover for this type of breach, though the CMA has not disclosed Euro Car Parks' specific financial figures.
Fletcher explained that by ignoring multiple approaches, the company forced the regulator to expend additional time and resources to obtain necessary information. "These requests are essential tools that help us understand the facts and get to the bottom of potential infringements of the law," she added.
Consumer Context and Clarifications
While numerous drivers have accused Euro Car Parks of unfairly demanding money for alleged car park rule violations, the CMA confirmed it does not currently have an open consumer enforcement case against the company. The regulator emphasized that "no assumption should be made that it has infringed consumer law" based solely on this information request penalty.
The case establishes an important precedent for regulatory enforcement in the United Kingdom, demonstrating the CMA's willingness to use its enhanced powers to ensure corporate compliance with information requests during preliminary investigation stages.
