Group action launched over price fixing

LONDON— A U.K. consumer organization is launching legal action against a sports retailer that it alleges overcharged buyers of replica soccer shirts.

In the first case to be brought on behalf of consumers under the Enterprise Act 2002, Which? Magazine is suing JJB Sports P.L.C. on behalf of soccer fans who bought replica Manchester United and England soccer shirts in 2000 and 2001.

The magazine alleges that many consumers were overcharged for the shirts because of unlawful agreements between manufacturers and retailers.

In 2003, the U.K. Office of Fair Trading fined JJB Sports and several other retailers for fixing the price of replica shirts.