The UK’s competition watchdog said it is ready to help the government take rapid action against Covid testing companies if it finds they are breaching consumer law, amid rising concerns about rip-off pricing and unreturned or delayed results. In a statement published on Thursday afternoon, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) set out the details of its previously announced investigation into the market, and said it was also looking at whether the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) could take any action to improve matters in the short term. “This is a particularly pressing issue just now for families hoping to enjoy a well-earned holiday after such a difficult year, and for those reuniting with friends and relatives overseas,” the CMA’s senior director of consumer protection, George Lusty, said. “That is why we are also providing ongoing support to DHSC, including on steps that could be considered in the interim, before the rest of our work on the PCR testing market is concluded.” The CMA said at the weekend it would provide advice and intelligence on the market in PCR tests within the next month to the health secretary, Sajid Javid, to enable the government to act. Thursday’s statement set out three areas the watchdog is exploring: whether individual providers may be breaching consumer law and should be subject to enforcement action; whether there are structural problems in the market affecting price and reliability; and whether there are immediate actions the government can take. It has opted for a rapid review because a formal investigation, which could lead to criminal action, would take months to complete, so that its impact would come long after the key holiday season. PCR tests are needed to travel to some overseas holiday destinations and on return from amber and green-list countries. Similar tests for days two and eight after return to England listed on the government’s website can cost more than £300 or as little as £20. On average, prices in the UK are £75 for a single test, compared with about £40 in France and Greece. Greg Smith, a Conservative MP on the transport select committee, said: “It’s almost as much as the holiday that they’re having to fork out in Covid tests which means for a vast majority it’s a no go. I couldn’t afford to with a family of five.” A group of MPs have also called on the government to cap Covid test prices at £40. Henry Smith, the Tory chairman of the all-party future of aviation group, said the government should also scrap them for holidaymakers returning from “low-risk” countries. In a letter to Javid, Huw Merriman, the head of the transport select committee, said the government “must give serious consideration to more affordable options” including the use of lateral flow tests as the situation was putting a damper on holidays. The Advertising Standards Authority has said it was also investigating, after receiving complaints from consumers about what it described as “inconsistent pricing” of tests on the government website. Analysis by the Guardian suggests passengers to the UK have spent at least £500m on PCR Covid-19 tests from private companies since mid-May, only for the NHS to be saddled with extra costs when firms fail to deliver them. Travellers have reported having to call the NHS testing hotline on 119 for free taxpayer-funded kits after PCR tests they had paid for did not arrive. Concern is mounting that the system for testing travellers is on the brink of collapse, with Heathrow airport calling on Wednesday for the government to allow people to use cheaper lateral flow tests instead. Lusty said: “It is essential that people paying for PCR tests are treated fairly, get what they pay for and that their rights are respected when things go wrong. We will not hesitate to take enforcement action if we find evidence that PCR providers are breaching consumer law. The consumer group Which? has said it warned the government several times to expect the “entirely foreseeable” chaos engulfing the travel testing system as restrictions on trips abroad eased.