Statistics

The Commerce Department of the Velocity Interoperability Network publishes statistics on the licences it issues, the capacity of the markets on its register, and its competition casework. This first release records the position at establishment on 6 September 2026 and the activity of the transition period from 10 August to 5 September 2026, during which member organisations transferred their market and trading functions to the Department.

The figures are drawn from the register of licensed markets, from the Department's licensing records, from returns supplied by member organisations, and from the case files transferred under the interim arrangements. Figures for the transition period are provisional and will be revised in the first quarterly bulletin where late returns are received.

The position at establishment. The figures below record the Department at the point of establishment.

12

Markets on the register of licensed markets at establishment

1,084

Licensed pitches across the twelve markets

3,146

Trader licences in force on 6 September 2026

218

Applications under assessment, to be decided by 18 September 2026

Of the 3,146 licences in force, 1,842 are market stall trader licences, 906 shop premises trader licences, 284 itinerant trader licences and 114 distance trader licences. Each of the six principal sites has two licensed markets. Central Exchange, the largest site, accounts for 28 per cent of licensed pitches and 35 per cent of licences in force.

Trader licences are attributed to the site at which the holder principally trades. Market stall traders who trade at more than one site are counted once, at the site of their first pitch allocation. Pitch counts are those recorded in each market licence and do not vary with the number of pitches let on a given day.

Applications during the transition. Applications for provisional registration were received throughout the transition period. The table below shows receipts by category in each half of the period; the outcome of applications by category is set out on the Trader Licensing page.

The higher receipts in the first half of the period reflect the transfer of existing trader records by member organisations, most of which were converted into applications in the first fortnight. Applications in the second half were largely from traders not previously registered with any member organisation, including 72 distance traders registering for the first time.

Competition casework. Complaints and merger notifications received under interim arrangements during the transition period were carried into the Department's casework at establishment. The figures below record the position on 6 September 2026.

7

Merger notifications carried into the Department's casework at establishment

23

Complaints of anti-competitive conduct received during the transition period

14

Complaints closed at initial assessment with reasons given to the complainant

3

Investigations opened on the basis of complaints received

The three investigations opened concern an alleged pricing agreement between suppliers to wholesale markets, an alleged exclusive supply arrangement at a covered general market and alleged pricing below cost by a shop premises trader. Of the seven merger notifications carried over, five are in first phase review and two await confirmation that the notification is complete. The Department does not name the undertakings concerned while a case is open.

The Department will publish a statistical bulletin quarterly. The first bulletin, covering the quarter ending 30 September 2026, will be published in October 2026 and announced in the Newsroom. For the rules under which the casework is conducted, see Competition; for the milestones of the reporting cycle, see History. Questions about these figures may be sent to contact@commerce.gov.vin.