23 July 2021, Budapest – The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has launched an investigation into one of the largest domestic undertakings engaged in the wholesale of fishing products due to allegedly imposing sanctions on its retailers applying prices lower than the recommended prices.
The GVH has initiated a proceeding against TOP-FISH 2001. Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft. due to an alleged infringement of the prohibition of restrictive agreements. The undertaking is one of the largest wholesalers of fishing-related products on the domestic market; among others, it distributes brands such as NEVIS, SPOR, STÉG, or Van Den Eynde, the latter belonging to the premium category. During the proceeding, the GVH will investigate whether the agreements between the undertaking and the retailers cooperating with it distort competition on the Hungarian market of fishing products.
Manufacturers and wholesalers can legally specify recommended consumer prices for the products they distribute. However, even in such cases, retailers must be permitted to determine their own end-user prices freely, even if their prices are lower than the recommended prices. This is due to the fact that such lower prices can increase competition among retailers, which is beneficial for consumers.
The initiation of the competition supervision proceeding does not mean that the undertaking has in fact committed the infringement. The proceeding is aimed at clarifying the facts and thereby proving the alleged infringement. The time limit for the completion of the proceeding is six months which, where justified, may be extended on two occasions by a maximum of six months each.
The official registration number of the case is: VJ/31/2021.
GVH Press Office