GERMANY: Watchdog issues fines in grocery pricing probe | Progresiv
German retailers Aldi, Edeka and Rewe - plus confectioners Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG and Haribo - are among the grocers and manufacturers to be hit with fines after a probe into allegations of price fixing. The Bundeskartellamt, the country's competition watchdog, said it had completed "most" of the cartel proceedings in sectors including confectionery, coffee, beer, pet food and body care. 
The so-called "vertical case" proceedings began with dawn raids at 15 sites in January 2010 after information gained in separate horizontal cartel proceedings on allegations within confectionery and coffee.
Investigations involving pet food and body care products have been concluded. Proceedings against companies over allegations on prices of confectionery, coffee and beer continue. However, the Bundeskartellamt said today it has so far issued fines worth around 151.6 million euros.
The watchdog said Edeka and Rewe had been fined for agreements with three manufacturers in two different product categories. Fellow retailer Kaufland has been hit with a penalty for deals with three manufacturers in three categories. The Bundeskartellamt said Aldi faces a fine for an agreement with one unnamed manufacturer in one sector. In a separate statement, the discounter said it involved "price adjustments" in 2005 and 2008 demanded by Haribo.
German confectioner Ritter is among the manufacturers so far fined. Haribo received a reduction in its fine for co-operating with the investigation.Mars Inc's assistance meant it was granted immunity from a penalty. (www.just-food.com)
