Billa, the central European arm of German retail giant Rewe has been fined CZK24 million (US$1.23 million) by Czech antitrust office ÚOHS. The retailer had been instructed to sell four of its 500 outlets in 2008 but had failed to do so.
According to the ÚOHS, 'In 2008, the Office assessed the concentration of undertakings Rewe and PLus-Discount. In course of the administrative proceeding, the Office found out that this transaction which merged retail chains Billa and Penny Market with Plus stores could distort competition in several local markets'.
'The sale of four stores should have taken part within one year after the decision had been issued, however Rewe several times applied for a postponement of the deadline for the implementation of commitments and their reassessment. The Office partially adjusted the commitments, however neither these were implemented'.
© 2013 - ESM: European Supermarket Magazine by Ellen Lunney
