Price-Fixing Cartel To Be Fined By Belgian Agency In Probe Settlement

The Belgian Competition Authority has reached a settlement with 17 companies, including Carrefour SA, Colruyt SA, Delhaize Group SA, and other retailers and manufacturers, in a private antitrust investigation that began in 2007. The companies face stiff fines for price-fixing of perfume, personal care, and household products, according to unnamed sources. Bloomberg News reported that Colgate-Palmolive will probably avoid fines “for blowing the whistle on the cartel.” A similar investigation in France led to combined fines of more than $1 billion imposed on a number of companies, including L’Oreal SA.