Casio faces the music

CAsiO faces a hefty fine from the competition watchdog for refusing to allow discounts on keyboards and digital pianos.

The Japanese company is accused of illegally stopping customers from shopping around for online deals.

The Competition and Markets Authority’s ruling is provisional. But Casio could be fined around £216m – or 10pc of its annual global turnover – if found guilty.

Ann Pope of the CMA said: ‘it’s important that online retailers are free to sell at the prices they see fit.’

sales of musical instruments are worth £440m a year in the uK.

The european Commission fined Philips, Pioneer, Asus and Denon for similar breaches last year.