Spanish food group Grupo SOS and retailer El Corte Ingles are among seven companies that have been ordered to pay heavy fines for price-fixing on olive oil brands between 2002 and 2005.
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The Spanish high court has ordered Grupo SOS to pay EUR2m (US$2.8m) for price-fixing on its Carbonell and Kopeisol brands and allowing seven other supermarkets chains to do the same.
The retailers – El Corte Ingles, Dia, Eroski, Caprabo, El Corte Inglés, Alcampo, Carrefour y El Árbol – were ordered to pay EUR1.7m in total with Dia given the highest fine of EUR338,000.
In a statement the court said the parties agreed to sell the products at a minimum price.
A Grupo SOS spokesperson, however, said the firm did not do anything wrong and confirmed it plans to appeal the court’s decision.
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By GlobalDataThe other parties would not return messages or comment.
Consumer group OCU, which filed the original complaint in 2002, has said it may file a separate suit to request compensation for consumers.
