Fingleton jumped ship last autumn, taking over as chief executive of the Office of Fair Trading in Britain in October. In his new role, Fingleton has singled out two highly regulated markets . . . pharmacies and taxis . . .

which he argues must be opened to greater competition. During his time at the Competition Authority, Fingleton proudly boasted that the organisation had "taken on" both the taxi business and the pharmacy sector, among others.

Last week he said in a newspaper interview that the British government should implement an OFT recommendation to deregulate the pharmacy sector totally. He added that, while limiting the number of taxi drivers to ensure they could make a living sounded fair, there was a huge cost to consumers.

The interview will also be studied closely by the retail industry in the UK; independent shopkeepers have been arguing that the OFT should curb Tesco's increasing dominance.

Fingleton said he didn't see it as the regulator's role to shackle the more efficient operator. Other retailers are concerned that if Tesco builds on all the sites it owns, its share of the UK grocery market could eventually get past 40%. Fingleton said the OFT may look at the way sites are awarded.