FRANCE: Poultry firms fined 15 million euros for pricing talks | Progresiv

France's competition watchdog fined 23 poultry firms and organisations a total of 15.2 million euros for holding meetings between 2000 and 2007 to discuss market prices and common demands for negotiations with retailers. The companies fined include LDC and Duc, the Autorite de la Concurrence said.

However, it ruled that the poultry firms had not engaged in price fixing and adjusted the fine in view of the difficulties faced by the sector. The penalty is much smaller than the 192.7 million euro fine imposed in mid-March on nine yoghurt manufacturers who met in secret to fix prices. (www.reuters.com)