Production and Sale of Fresh and / or Frozen Chicken/Poultry Meat

Cartel

Article 1 L. 3959/2011

Finding of infringement

Ex-officio investigation

1. S.P.E.E.

2. TH. NITSIAKOS SA

3. APSI PINDOS

4. APS ARTAS

5. LIVADITI BROS SA

6. D. KELAIDITIS & CO LTD

7. AMBROSIADIS COUNTRY CHICKENS SA

8. AGROZOI SA

9. MAZARAKI SA

10. KOTINO SA

11. ΒΙΟΚΟΤ ΑΕ

12. SONS P. SARAMOURTSI SA

13. FRESCOT SA

14. ANGELAKIS SA

The HCC found that a total of thirteen companies active in the production and distribution of poultry meat, as well as the Association of Poultry Enterprises of Greece (SPEE) violated Article 1 of the competition law (previous n.703 / 1977, current n.3959 / 2011), and Article 101 TFEU, by their involvement in illegal pricing and customers’ distribution practices and imposed significant fines. The ex-officio investigation started after market information about the simultaneous increase in the price of poultry meat products by some companies in the sector.

From the data gathered, it was documented, among other things, that the companies involved agreed to jointly determine their products’ selling prices (fresh and frozen poultry meat) to downstream suppliers (ie wholesalers, supermarkets, butchers, grill-restaurants) and also pursued market segmentation practices through the distribution of customers.

The cartel was implemented through regular meetings of the representatives of poultry meat producers, among others, under the auspices of their professional association, and it lasted for more than a decade (from 1996 to 2010), even though not all parties were involved throughout the whole period. The total amount of fine imposed amounts to 39,998,346 euros.