Getty Threatens UK Exit

What happened

Getty Images has threatened to exit its UK operations if the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocks its proposed $3.7 billion acquisition of Shutterstock. The CMA expressed concerns that the merger could lead to increased prices, worsened commercial terms, and reduced quality of stock and editorial images. Despite remedies offered by Getty and Shutterstock, the CMA deemed them insufficient, with a final decision due by April 19. This action introduces a potential market consolidation, aiming to create a visual content entity better positioned against AI-generated imagery.

Why it matters

The potential consolidation of Getty Images and Shutterstock, or Getty's threatened UK exit, introduces significant market constraints for procurement and content licensing teams. A reduced competitive landscape could lead to higher costs and less favourable terms for visual content acquisition, increasing exposure to vendor lock-in and limiting sourcing options. This scenario also raises due diligence requirements for legal and compliance teams to assess the impact on existing contracts and future content supply chain resilience, particularly concerning the evolving landscape of AI-generated imagery.