UK Regulator Demands Shutterstock Sell Editorial Arm for Getty Merger Approval

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally ruled that Shutterstock must divest its global editorial business—including Shutterstock Editorial, Backgrid, and Splash—to clear the proposed $3.7 billion merger with Getty Images. The CMA's independent inquiry group chair Margot Daly stated that without the sale, UK media outlets could face reduced choice and higher costs. Both Getty and Shutterstock disagree with the provisional findings; Getty argues that AI has transformed the market, introducing competitors like Meta and Google. Shutterstock had offered to sell only Backgrid and Splash, but the CMA deemed this inadequate. The US Department of Justice approved the merger in February 2025, with Getty CEO Craig Peters expressing satisfaction. The CMA's final decision is pending.