Fines for anti competitive behaviour
The German units of Kraft Foods, Unilever and Dr. Oetker have been fined a total of €38 million for anticompetitive behaviour.
The companies took part in meetings where they shared information about negotiations and price policies with retailers as well as data about their food products, the Federal Cartel Office, Germany’s antitrust regulator, says.
“Certain types of information exchange between competitors are illicit,” Andreas Mundt, the cartel office president, says in the statement. “Competition is hampered by such actions, even if they aren’t hard-core fixing of prices, areas, customers or quotas.”
The investigation was prompted when the German division of Mars reported the conduct and requested leniency, according to the office. Mars wasn’t fined as a result.
The companies agreed to the fines as part of a settlement, the cartel office notes.