Anti-competitive agreement in the fruit-compotes sector
The Autorité de la concurrence hands down fine worth a total of up to 58.3 million euros to the main fruit-compote manufacturers for pricing agreement and market sharing from October 2010 to January 2014. The Autorité fined Materne, Andros, Conserves France, Délis/Vergers de Châteaubourg, Charles Faraud/Charles & Alice, as well as Valade.
The comprehensive plan's objective defined by the compotes manufacturers was to raise the selling prices of compotes to retailers’ own-brands and out-of-home catering clients and to coordinate on the amount of the price increase. Furthermore, they agreed on a common discourse justifying these price increases and shared the volumes and clients.
The dutch company Coroos, which also participated in the infringement, reported the agreement as part of the leniency procedure. The Coroos company was able, in exchange for its cooperation during the investigation, to benefit from a full exemption from fines.