The Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) accepted the Settlement Proposals submitted by the companies KOMPA Ltd and HAPPY DOG SA, and imposed reduced fines for resale price maintenance, in breach of Articles 1 of Law 3959/2011 and 101 TFEU, totalling almost €500,000 (Decision No. 901/2026).
The case concerns the markets for the import/production and retail sale of pet food (for dogs and cats).
The case was triggered by an anonymous report through the HCC’s whistleblowing system- (https://www.epant.gr/en/whistleblowing.html). Dawn raids took place at the premises of undertakings operating in the markets concerned (pet food importers/distributors) in November 2024. The investigated companies, against which there is sufficient evidence of infringement, submitted a request to be placed under the Settlement Procedure.
The companies concerned engaged in resale price maintenance practices in the context of a vertical agreement with their network of affiliated resellers, both through physical and online stores. In particular, they monitored the retail prices of their affiliated resellers through online price comparison platforms in order to adjust the prices of their partners' online stores. At the same time, they sent notices to resellers, asking them to adjust their prices to the applicable price lists. The retailers complied with these notices. It is noted that contractual terms or practices in the context of vertical agreements that impose resale price maintenance on distributors constitute a hardcore restriction of competition.
The HCC accepted the Settlement Proposals submitted by the above companies, in accordance with the grounds of the case-Rapporteur's Statement of Objections, and imposed the following fines:
- on KOMPA Ltd, a fine amounting to €387,498
- on HAPPY DOG SA, a fine amounting to €95,000.
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Informal press release for information purposes only, non-binding on the Hellenic Competition Commission. |
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The full text of the Decision shall be published in the Government Gazette and posted on the HCC website https://www.epant.gr. |