AGCM

PRESS RELEASE

ANTITRUST LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION TO VERIFY THE EXISTENCE OF A POSSIBLE AGREEMENT TO LIMIT COMPETITION IN THE AUTOMATIC DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND BEVERAGES

Antitrust has launched an investigation to establish the existence of a possible anti-competitive agreement in the market of automatic and semi-automatic distribution of pre-packaged foods (snacks, ice cream, etc.) and hot and cold drinks through devices placed in public and private places (vending).

The companies concerned are: Gruppo Argenta S.p.A., D.A.EM. S.p.A. (Buonristoro Vending Group) and its subsidiaries Molinari S.p.A., Dist.Illy S.r.l., Aromi S.r.l., Dolomatic S.r.l. e Govi S.r.l., Sogeda S.r.l., Ge.S.A. S.p.A., Gruppo Illiria S.p.A., IVS Italia S.p.A., Liomatic S.p.A., all active in Italy.

The Authority's initiative follows a report which, among other things, gives an account of some telephone conversations between one individual and call centre operators from Gruppo Argenta S.p.A., which seems to indicate the existence of a "non-aggression pact" between the companies mentioned above; each of which would refrain from initiating commercial offers, or installing equipment for the distribution of food and beverages, in favour of those who are already customers of companies involved in the agreement.

The agreement would then be designed to avoid or limit competition between operators, in particular through a mechanism of concerted sharing of customers likely to result in a breach of competition law.

The measure was notified to the parties in the course of some inspections carried out in collaboration with the Competition Group of the Special Markets Protection Unit of the Guardia di Finanza (Tax Police).

The process must be completed by 31 December 2015.

Rome, 24 July 2014