4 million euros fine for Casino and Intermarché for restricting competition

French supermarket chains Casino and Intermarché have been fined for demanding contributions from a number of suppliers for which there was no quid pro quo.

Threat of delisting

The Paris Court of Appeal fined both retailers a total of four million euros for anti-competitive practices against suppliers. According to the court, the retailers have demanded contributions from suppliers outside annual negotiations since 2015, without quid pro quo, and with the threat of delisting. As a result, the supermarket chains now have to pay a fine of two million euros each. Casino subsidiary Monoprix has to pay 500,000 euros of that as an accomplice, business newspaper Les Echos reports.

Only a few days ago, both retailers escaped conviction for anti-competitive behaviour through their then purchasing organisation INCA, between 2014 and 2018. Searches carried out as part of the investigation were annulled by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg.