The UK’s Draft Bill on Collective Redress Proceedings: Does it Really Address Small Damages Claims?

"Competition infringement shares a characteristic with a few areas of tort,which is that a single act by the infringer causes widespread harm.This means that numerous persons at the different levels of the distribution chain are affected, and the amount of their loss might gradually decrease towards the end of the chain. Those who suffer small injuries do not bring a case, and in consequence do not obtain any compensation, due to, among other things, the rational apathy problem, which adversely affects their willingness to pursue a damages claim in court. An appropriate formulation of a collective redress action can constitute a solution to the problem, and thus has the potential to provide access to redress for small claimants aggrieved by competition infringements."