Carrefour SA and Delhaize Group SA are among a group of retailers and manufacturers poised to face fines in an antitrust settlement with Belgium’s competition authority, according to three people familiar with the investigation.
The Belgian agency may announce penalties for 17 companies, including Colruyt SA, as soon as July over price-fixing of perfume, personal-care and household products, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the probe is private.
Colgate-Palmolive Co. is expected to avoid a fine for blowing the whistle on the cartel, two of the people said.
The fines would follow a combined penalty of more than $1 billion in a similar case in France. L’Oreal SA was among a group of companies sanctioned in December over allegations of a conspiracy to rig the prices of products including shampoo and toothpaste.
The Belgian announcement would conclude a probe begun with raids in 2007. The penalties may be a Belgian record, two of the people said.
Representatives for the Belgian Competition Authority, Delhaize, Colruyt, Carrefour and L’Oreal declined to immediately comment. Colgate-Palmolive didn’t immediately respond to a call and e-mail.
Shares in the companies extended losses after news of the Belgian fines. Colruyt shares fell 2 per cent in Brussels trading, while Delhaize declined 1.5 per cent. Carrefour slipped 2.5 per cent and L’Oreal shares dropped by 2.6 per cent in Paris.
News by Bloomberg, edited by ESM
