From 2001 to 2016, the major food retailers (“Auchan”, “MCH” and “Pingo Doce”) resorted to their vertical relation with the common supplier JNTL Consumer Health (Portugal), Limitada. (formerly Johnson&Johnson, Lda.) to horizontally promote the retail price fixing (hub-and-spoke agreement).
The practice comprised a cross-check mechanism of retail prices charged by the retailers as a mean to ensure price alignment, as well as the regular report to JNTL so that it would monitor and pressure for retail price readjustments whenever deviations were identified.
In March 2022, the AdC adopted the respective Statement of Objections, having given the opportunity to the affected parties to exercise their right to be heard and defence, which was duly assessed and considered in the final decision.