Clothing chain Peek & Cloppenburg (P&C) and clothing manufacturer Wellensteyn International have both received an enormous fine in Germany. Reason? Price arrangements in the 2008 – 2013 time frame.
11 million euro
Both secretly agreed on minimum prices and retailers were not allowed to sell products online. Those that still sold clothing at lower prices, faced pressure from both companies.
Several complaints with the German Bundeskartellamt (Germany’s Bureau of Competition) in March 2013 led to an investigation that has now resulted in 11 million euro in fines. Both companies can still appeal the decision. The Bundeskartellamt believes it is not impossible other companies did similar things back then.
Peek & Cloppenburg was originally a Dutch store chain, but both its German and Dutch division have been German Harro Uwe Cloppenburg’s property since 1998. The largest part of its store network is in Germany, but it also has stores in the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and several Eastern European countries.
