The European Commission has carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the online ordering and delivery of food, groceries and other consumer goods in two Member States, the institution said on Wednesday 6 July.
The Commission is concerned that the companies involved may have violated Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which prohibits cartels and restrictive business practices.
The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities.
The investigation concerns an alleged agreement or concerted practice to share national markets for the online ordering and delivery of food, groceries and other consumer goods in the EU.
Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step into suspected anticompetitive practices. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself.
Under the Commission’s leniency programme, companies that have been involved in a secret cartel may be granted immunity from fines or significant reductions in fines in return for reporting their conduct and cooperating with the Commission throughout its investigation. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)