The European Commission has fined three producers of canned mushrooms approximately €32 million for participating in a cartel to co-ordinate prices and allocate customers. The three producers have been named as Lutèce, Prochamp and Bonduelle.
The Commission started an investigation into the alleged cartel activity after Lutèce had revealed the existence of the cartel to the Commission. The investigation found that the producers had exchanged information on tenders and agreed minimum prices and targets with a view to stabilising their market shares and prevent a decline of prices.
As Lutèce had blown the whistle on the cartel’s existence, it benefitted from full immunity under the leniency procedures for organisations which admit to cartel activity before discovery by the Commission. As Prochamp agreed to co-operate with the Commission’s investigation, it received a 30% reduction under the same leniency rules. A settlement notice also enabled the three producers to benefit from a further 10% reduction in the fine.
