{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/competition-act-1998/section-43",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/competition-act-1998/section-43.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/41",
  "legislation_title": "Competition Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/competition-act-1998",
  "path": "section/43",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "43",
  "heading": "Destroying or falsifying documents.",
  "text": "(1) A person is guilty of an offence if, having been required to produce a document under section 26, 27, 28 or 28A—\n(a) he intentionally or recklessly destroys or otherwise disposes of it, falsifies it or conceals it, or\n(b) he causes or permits its destruction, disposal, falsification or concealment.\n(1A) A person is not guilty of an offence under subsection (1) by reason of any act or omission in relation to which the CMA has proceeded against the person under section 40ZE(1).\n(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 43(1) substituted (1.5.2004) by The Competition Act 1998 and Other Enactments (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/1261), reg. 1(a), Sch. 1 para. 28(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 43(1A) inserted (1.1.2025) by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), s. 339(1), Sch. 10 para. 12; S.I. 2024/1226, regs. 1(2), 2(1)(14)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/41/section/43",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:18.972999+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}