Let us know about free updates
The European Commission raided the offices of many soft drink companies over a possible violation of competition law after ceased to investigate similar sectors two years ago.
On Monday, the committee said it was investigating companies in the “non-alcoholic beverage sector” in several countries regarding concerns that “violate EU antitrust rules banning cartels and restrictive practices and violate abuse of dominant positions.”
It added that it is investigating “commodity trading restrictions” and “market segmentation.” The committee did not name the businesses where the facility was attacked, but EU officials said testing related to the soft drinks sector.
The committee added that the attacks in connection with the act “potentially still ongoing” had the officials accompanied by national competition authorities in the countries involved.
Unpublished inspections of corporate offices are a preliminary step in an investigation into alleged violations of competition laws.
The committee said it had sent a request for information to an unnamed company in the personal care sector. Such a demand is another mechanism used to gather evidence related to alleged anti-competitive practices.
Companies found to violate European competition laws could face heavy fines, but report fraud to authorities or cooperate with the committee’s investigation to apply for generosity.
Two years ago, the committee conducted a preliminary investigation into potentially anti-competitive practices by Coca-Cola and European bottlers.
At the time, the committee said there were concerns that Coca-Cola and bottlers were abusing their position by providing incentives to retailers who blocked new drink makers from entering the market.
The committee announced in 2023 that after reviewing evidence submitted by businesses, competitors and retailers, it found that there was insufficient basis for continuing the investigation.
