Athens, Dec. 28 - Greece's competition watchdog said Friday it had levied an additional EUR 28.6 million in fines against 10 dairy companies and supermarkets for fixing retail prices on dairy products.
Earlier this month, the competition commission fined seven dairy companies a total of EUR48.3 million for fixing prices paid to dairy producers and among themselves - the result of a more than year-long investigation into anti-competitive practices in the dairy sector.
The biggest fine announced Friday was against food conglomerate Vivartia SA (- a unit of Marfin Investment Holdings Group SA - for a total of EUR21.8 million.
Fines on the other companies ranged from a low of EUR39,996 to EUR3.0 million.
The other companies named included Greek dairy companies Mevgal, Fage and Olymbos. The commission also named super market operators Carrefour SA, Alfa-Beta Vassilopoulos SA, Veropoulos Bros., Atlantic Supermarket SA, Sklavenitis and D. Masoutis SA.
"In a second decision, the Commission adjudicated the legality of agreements between the milk producers and their distributors on the one hand, and the supermarkets on the other," the commission said in a statement.
"These agreements include, in the opinion of the commission, anti-competitive practices that directly impact the prices paid by consumers," the statement added.
The investigation into the milk cartel has been closely watched in the local press amid widespread public perceptions that the Greek economy is dominated by powerful cartels in various industries. Some three years ago, several supermarkets in Greece were also fined for anti-competitive practices.
Friday's action also follows the arrest last year of a senior competition commission member for allegedly soliciting a EUR2.5 million bribe from a dairy company under investigation.