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Jeronimo Martins SGPS SAPoland's antitrust regulator brings charges against Biedronka retailer owner, suspects restriction of competition
Poland's antitrust and consumer protection regulator UOKiK has brought charges against Jeronimo Martins Polska, owner of Poland's largest retail chain Biedronka, 32 transport companies, and eight managers and company owners who may have been directly responsible for an agreement restricting competition, UOKiK said in a press statement.
The head of UOKiK Tomasz Chrostny pointed out that the regulator suspects that transport companies and Jeronimo Martins Polska entered into an agreement aimed at limiting the possibility of drivers moving between transport companies serving Biedronka distribution centres.
"In this way, the entrepreneurs may have wanted to avoid poaching each other's employees. Such action is not only contrary to competition law, but also unacceptable in human terms. Everyone should have the right to freely choose and change their place of work," said Chrostny, quoted in the press release.
Participation in an agreement restricting competition is punishable by a financial penalty of up to 10 percent of the entrepreneur's turnover. Managers responsible for concluding the collusion agreement are liable to a financial penalty of up to PLN 2 million (EUR 469,800).
mcb/ ao/
