Poland’s largest discount supermarket chain, Biedronka, has been fined €117.2 million by a regional court for demanding unfair discounts from grocery suppliers.
Poland’s antitrust and consumer protection regulator (UOKiK) said that the court agreed with the watchdog, which in December 2020 imposed a fine of over 723 million zloty (€167.5 million) on Portugal’s Jeronimo Martins Group, the owner of Biedronka, for allegedly making unfair profits at the expense of food suppliers.
UOKiK said on X that the court had “confirmed that Jeronimo Martins Polska (JMP) did not have the right to obtain previously unagreed discounts from grocery suppliers.”
UOKiK said on X that the court had “confirmed that Jeronimo Martins Polska (JMP) did not have the right to obtain previously unagreed discounts from grocery suppliers.”
#UOKiK wygrywa w sądzie💪
— UOKiK (@UOKiKgovPL) October 17, 2024
‼️Sąd Okręgowy zgodził się z ustaleniami Prezesa UOKiK.
‼️Potwierdził, że spółka Jeronimo Martins Polska nie miała prawa uzyskiwać od dostawców produktów spożywczych nieumówionych wcześniej rabatów.
Szczegóły🔗https://t.co/tUIRXF0dnS
🧵1/5 pic.twitter.com/y0DyacIeBD
The court said that Biedronka held a significant advantage over its suppliers, adding it shared UOKiK’s view that the chain must fulfill its contracts and refrain from unilateral price changes.
However, Biedronka argued that the court had pointed out far-reaching flaws in UOKiK’s decision.
The supermarket chain told Polish state news agency PAP: “The court also pointed out the lack of justification for treating all suppliers according to the same criteria.
“Consequently, the court largely agreed with JMP’s position, changing the decision of the UOKiK president and dismissing a part of the penalty amounting to 220 million zloty [€51 million].”
The court’s decision is subject to appeal.
However, Biedronka argued that the court had pointed out far-reaching flaws in UOKiK’s decision.
The supermarket chain told Polish state news agency PAP: “The court also pointed out the lack of justification for treating all suppliers according to the same criteria.
“Consequently, the court largely agreed with JMP’s position, changing the decision of the UOKiK president and dismissing a part of the penalty amounting to 220 million zloty [€51 million].”
The court’s decision is subject to appeal.
