Printable version in PDF

A fine of approximately HUF17 million (approx. EUR 58.000) was imposed on SPAR and an unannounced inspection was carried out by the GVH

On 13 October 2011, the Gazdasági Versenyhivatal (GVH - Hungarian Competition Authority) held an unannounced inspection on the premises of SPAR Magyarország Kereskedelmi Kft. (SPAR). Prior to the inspection, the GVH had already imposed a fine of HUF 17 million since the undertaking provided incomplete information to many of the questions posed by the GVH. The order on the procedural fine is not binding, the Competition Council still has not dealt with the application for remedy of the SPAR.

On 6 May 2010, the GVH initiated a competition supervision proceeding against SPAR for a suspected infringement of the prohibition of abuse of a dominant position. The GVH presumes that the application of the dynamic and stable segments of the efficiency bonus and the - already terminated - organisational and development fees, which were imposed on the suppliers of SPAR, violated Hungarian competition rules.

In the course of the proceeding, the GVH required SPAR to supply data in order to discover the statement of facts, but the undertaking did not completely fulfil its duties. Due to the conduct of SPAR, the true facts were not disclosed, and this led to a delay in the proceedings. As the data supplied was incomplete, the essential information that was needed to conduct the procedure was not fully available to the GVH. With the aim of obtaining this information, additional procedural actions had to be taken. Within the framework of these procedural actions, the GVH imposed a fine of HUF 17 million on the undertaking and held an unannounced inspection on 13 October 2011, on the premises of the undertaking.

Case number: Vj-47/2010

Budapest, 14 October 2011

Hungarian Competition Authority
Communication Group

Further information:
Katalin GONDOLOVICS
Gazdasági Versenyhivatal
Mail: 1054 Budapest, V. ker. Alkotmány u.5.
Postal address: 1245 Budapest, 5. POB. 1036
Tel: (+36-1) 472-8902
Email: press@gvh.hu
http://www.gvh.hu