BULGARIAN anti-monopoly commission probes major chains

Planet Retail 14 May 2009

Bulgaria's anti-monopoly commission has launched a probe into six major supermarket chains to see if they pressured suppliers to lower prices, Reuters reported. The regulator said it would investigate whether Metro Group's Metro cash & carries, Schwarz Group's Kaufland, Rewe Group's Billa, Dohle's Hit, Delta M's Piccadilly and Maxima pressured food and consumer goods suppliers to cut prices and accept late payments.

A spokesperson for the Commission for Competition said: "The food suppliers say their arms had been twisted to accept late payments at a time when they needed funds to run their businesses and have been pressured to cut prices." The investigation began after the commission received a complaint from the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists. The regulator said that the chains face fines if they have breached competition rules.

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