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The EU has fined European takeout group streaming hero and Grobo €329 million for participating in the “online food delivery cartel” in the bloc’s latest anti-trust crackdown.
The delivery hero of German food delivery service acquired Glovo, a Spanish-based online food delivery app, in 2022. On Monday, the European Commission said two groups had violated competition rules in the previous four years.
Brussels said the streaming heroes have used Globo’s minority stake to adjust it, and the two agreed not to poach each other’s employees and exchanged trade secrets.
The committee also agreed where each company traded, removing the overlap, adding that such adjustments reduced consumer choice and price increases. This probe was first announced in July 2024.
The fine is the first time Brussels has punished a company for the anti-competitive use of minority stakes in its rival business. It is also the first example of punishing a group with a “no-porch” contract, agreeing that the group will not take each other’s workers.
EU competition chief Teresalivera said the incident was “significant” because of the way that the incident was “promoted through the anti-competitive use of minority shares of delivery heroes in glovo.”
The companies have admitted to being involved in the cartel and agreed to resolve the case. The delivery hero pays 223 million euros in fines, while Glovo pays 106 million euros.
