The authority fined the distributor of electrical appliances 72.3 million

The Office for the Protection of Economic Competition announced today that it has fined Groupe SEB ČR with a fine of 72.3 million crowns for restricting its customers when setting the prices of sold goods. Its procedure thus affected prices for consumers. The decision is final and the company that distributes the Moulinex or Rowenta brands must pay the fine.

“Groupe SEB set minimum retail prices for small household appliances and kitchen utensils to customers. She subsequently checked compliance with these prices. The seller, whose prices were too low, called for their increase to the set level, even under the threat of sanctions, which she also realistically applied,” said ÚOHS.

Groupe SEB ČR is a subsidiary of the French group Groupe SEB, which is engaged in the production and distribution of small household appliances and kitchen appliances of the brands Krups, Moulinex, Rowenta, Tefal and WMF.

“This is already the third vertical cartel in the segment of home electrical appliances that has been exposed and punished, while the office is dealing with other cases in this area. FAST ČR was fined 30,228,000 crowns for this anti-competitive conduct, and ELECTROLUX, s.r.o. was fined 125,404,000 crowns. From the findings of the office so far, it follows that prohibited practices, which limit price competition between sellers and thus increase the price level for consumers, are used by a non-negligible part of distributors, importers and manufacturers,” the office said.