The U.K.’s competition regulator gave its approval for Amazon to buy a 16% stake in food delivery startup Deliveroo. The approval comes after the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation to look into possible anti-competitive implications of Amazon's stake. The investigation concluded, with the CMA finding that it wouldn't lessen competition.

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• In May 2019, Deliveroo announced it had raised $575m in an Amazon-led funding round. Shortly after, the CMA halted the deal and launched an anti-competitive investigation.
• The probe looked into whether the deal would block Amazon from re-entering the online food delivery market; it also explored if it would substantially lower competition in restaurant or grocery deliveries in the U.K.
• On Tuesday, the CMA confirmed that Amazon is allowed to move forward with its minority investment in the startup, upholding its two previous provisional findings.
• While the CMA found that the investment would not "substantially lessen competition" in both grocery and restaurant delivery, it could pursue a further investigation if Amazon acquired a greater stake in Deliveroo, regulators said.
• Amazon launched its on-demand food delivery service in London in 2016, but ended it in 2018.

New York and California state attorneys general joined the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate Amazon's online marketplace. The three agencies will start interviewing witnesses over the next several weeks as part of an antitrust investigation into Amazon's business practices, including its use of third-party seller data. It could be the prelude to major collaborative antitrust action against Amazon.

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• The FTC and California investigations have been reported on previously. What's new is New York's involvement and the cooperation among agencies.
• Other government agencies continue to investigate Amazon for anti-competitive and monopolistic practices after last week's congressional hearing.
• During the hearing, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said he couldn't guarantee that a company policy against using seller-specific data hadn't been breached. This comes after the WSJ reported that Amazon employees have used data from third-party sellers to help the company decide which private-label products to pursue.
• New York State, New York City, and California are also looking into allegations that Amazon has failed to protect its employees from COVID-19 and retaliated against workers who voiced their concerns.

On Friday, we asked readers of our Inside Business newsletter which of the four big tech stocks they would be most likely to buy right now. The results are in, with Amazon as the top choice:

• 40.61% said Amazon 
• 37.55% said Apple
• 11.35% said Google
• 10.48% said Facebook

Top deals on Amazon.com

We searched the web to find the most impressive discounts right now, broken down by sale category:

Amazon's big summer sale

• Greenworks Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower, $267.75 (orig. $343.21)
• TaoTronics Wireless Waterproof Earbuds, $39.99 (orig. $49.99)
• Amazon Essentials Sleeveless Wide-Leg Jumpsuit, $19.18 (orig. $29.50)...

Amazon removed a shoes listing on its marketplace after a U.K. lawmaker reported that the seller included a derogatory racist term. In a tweet on Monday, British Labour Party politician David Lammy asked Amazon to remove the shoes, which were listed as a "Formal Oxford" sold by the retailer Floren. Amazon removed the listing less than two hours later.

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• In a follow-up tweet, Lemmy thanked Amazon, but noted that the item has been on sale since March. He asked Amazon to explain what systems it has in place for reviewing descriptions and making sure offensive terms are removed from its platform.
• An Amazon spokesperson said the account has since been suspended for violating the company's hateful conduct policy.
• In June, Amazon removed a children's T-shirt depicting the death of George Floyd from its marketplace. That seller's account is under investigation.

Amazon removed its Alexa Guard feature - which listens for burglar alarms and other signs of forced entry - for its U.K. customers. Each customer in the country that enabled the feature was also sent a £10 gift card.

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• Reports did not specify why Amazon U.K. rolled out the feature, which is apparently still available in the U.S.
• An Amazon email called it a "technical issue" and specifies that it "should not have been possible for our customers in the U.K. to sign up." The Amazon gift card was sent as a "token of appreciation" to customers.
• Once the Echo-enabled Guard feature hears signs of a potential break-in, it alerts homeowners in their Alexa app.
• Forbes' Barry Collins speculates that Amazon can't launch Guard in the U.K. because it breaches intellectual property or violates the EU's stricter data privacy laws.

Amazon is developing a drama series about open marriage from "The Chi" writer/producer Lena Waithe. The project, tentatively titled "Open," is one of several projects being explored as part of Waithe's overall Amazon deal.

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• This would be among the first mainstream drama series to grapple with the subject of non-traditional marriages in an in-depth fashion.
• Waithe is also collaborating on a horror anthology series for Amazon titled "Them: Covenant." 
• She told The Hollywood Reporter that, though she's never been in an open marriage, "it's fascinating to me."
• In addition to "The Chi," Waithe currently produces the BET series "Boomerang" and "Twenties."

A version of this story first appeared in Inside Streaming.

QUICK HITS

• Amazon is preparing to launch locally in Sweden, which could result in decreased delivery charges for customers.
• Amazon Studios will produce a YA musical based on Lady Macbeth from "Anna and the Apocalypse" director John McPhail.
• Prime members can pre-order a Baby Yoda stand for the 3rd gen Echo Dot for $25.
• Amazon released a new trailer for "The Boys" Season 2, hitting the service on Sept. 4.
• Men’s skincare is the latest industry to be disrupted. Read why times have changed.*

*This is a sponsored post.