1. A method comprising: determining a set of spatial motion vector prediction candidates for a block of pixels, the spatial motion vector prediction candidates being provided with motion information; selecting a first spatial motion vector prediction candidate from the set of spatial motion vector prediction candidates as a potential spatial motion vector prediction candidate to be included in a merge list for a prediction unit of the block of pixels, where the merge list is constructed based on the motion information of the spatial motion vector prediction candidates and is utilized to identify motion vector prediction candidates of which one spatial motion vector prediction candidate from the merge list is signaled as the motion information for the prediction unit; determining a subset of spatial motion vector prediction candidates based on a location of the block associated with the first spatial motion vector prediction candidate; comparing motion information of the first spatial motion vector prediction candidate with motion information of spatial motion vector prediction candidates in the determined subset of spatial motion vector prediction candidates without making a comparison of each possible candidate pair from the set of spatial motion vector prediction candidates, wherein comparing comprises performing an equivalence check or comparing a difference in motion information to a threshold or other similarity metric; and causing information identifying the one spatial motion vector prediction candidate from the merge list to be transmitted to a decoder or to be stored.