RO: Antitrust Body Fines Large Retailers, Suppliers EUR18.8M for Price Fixing
Romania's antitrust body said it has fined retailers Auchan, Cora and Carrefour, as well as four of their suppliers, a total of RON87.7 million (EUR18.8 million) for price fixing.
Auchan was fined RON36.56 million, Carrefour was fined RON26.99 million, and Cora was fined RON12.4 million. The suppliers fined are Quadrant-Amroq Beverages (RON5.98 million), Star Foods EM (RON3.93 million), Strauss Romania (RON1.78 million), and Nelson Prod (RON3,113).
The antitrust authority found that from 2010 until 2016, the retailers and their suppliers violated national and European regulations by fixing resale prices, it said in a press release.
The antitrust body found that in certain cases sale prices were not established according to supply and demand rules but the suppliers and retailers would a fixed or minimum price for the resale of products to end-consumers.
The practice led to higher prices for the final consumer, as retailers were not allowed to lower prices below the supplier-imposed limit.
The antitrust fine decisions may be appealed at the Bucharest Court of Appeals within 30 days.
Source: ZF 31.01.2019
