At issue is the price agreement with some suppliers. The fine was imposed by the Competition Authority.
The main supermarket chains in Portugal were fined more than 300 million euros due to price collision. This is the biggest fine imposed by the Competition Authority in such a case. At stake is the combination of beverage prices between Continente, Pingo Doce, Auchan and Intermarché and some suppliers.
The price agreement will have occurred for almost 10 years, between 2008 and 2017. The process involves two convictions. In one case, Continente, Pingo Doce, Auchan, Intermarché and Sociedade Central de Cervejas, which owns the Sagres brand, for example, are concerned.
According to the “Observer”, there were several articles by the Sociedade Central de Cervejas whose price was agreed between supermarkets, namely that of Sagres and Heineken beers, Bandida do Pomar and Luso water.
In another conviction, the Competition Authority joins Lidl, Cooplecnorte, which owns E. Leclerc, and Primedrinks. In this case, an alleged pricing of wines, whiskeys, gin and vodka was verified. In both cases, consumers always end up being the biggest losers.
Supermarkets chain Continente was the one that received the biggest fine: 121.9 million euros. Pingo Doce follows, with 91 thousand euros; the Sociedade Central de Cervejas, 29.5 million; Auchan, 22 million; Intermarché, in 19 million; Lidl, in 10 million; Primedrinks, in 7 million; and E. Leclerc, in 2 million. There were also fines for an administrator and a director.
The main supermarkets, such as Continente and Jerónimo Martins, from Pingo Doce, will appeal the decision to the Competition Court in Santarém. The same path will be followed for Central de Cervejas, which was disappointed with this decision.
This is the biggest fine of its kind applied in Portugal due to price collusion.