According to Silicon Republic, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is launching a Phase 2 investigation into Getty Images’ proposed acquisition of Shutterstock. The watchdog heard “widespread concerns” from UK media and creative sectors about potential price increases and quality drops. The combined company would be worth over £3 billion and operate as Getty Images Holdings under current Getty CEO Craig Peters. The CMA rejected the companies’ proposed remedies and expects to make a final decision by April 2026.
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Why this merger has regulators worried
Here’s the thing – we’re talking about two of the biggest players in a $7.3 billion stock image market. Getty and Shutterstock aren’t just random photo libraries – they’re essential infrastructure for basically everyone who creates content. News organizations, marketers, designers – they all depend on these platforms daily.
And the timing is interesting, isn’t it? We’re in an era where everyone needs visual content constantly. Social media, websites, presentations – the demand for licensed images has never been higher. Consolidating two major suppliers could genuinely change the economics for thousands of businesses.
What’s really at stake here
Look, the CMA isn’t just being difficult. They’re hearing from the News Media Association representing 900 UK publications. These aren’t small players complaining – this is the entire media ecosystem worried about their supply chain.
Editorial content is particularly sticky. When news breaks, publications need immediate access to professional photos from events. If Getty-Shutterstock becomes the dominant force, they could essentially set the market price for breaking news imagery. That’s a powerful position.
Meanwhile, over in the US, the Department of Justice is also looking at this deal. And Getty just partnered with Perplexity AI last week. They’re clearly thinking about the future – but regulators are thinking about competition today.
So what happens next? Basically, we wait until 2026 for the UK’s final decision. But given how complex this market is and how many stakeholders are nervous, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some significant conditions attached to any approval. The days of easy mega-mergers in tech-adjacent spaces might be ending.
