Bacardi infringes UK competition law

Campaign News | Monday, 1 July 2002

OFT PROPOSES TO FIND BACARDI EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENTS BREACH COMPETITION

OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING

38/02 28 June 2002

OFT PROPOSES TO FIND BACARDI EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENTS BREACH COMPETITION

LAW

The OFT proposes to make a decision that Bacardi has infringed UK

competition law.

The OFT has today written to Bacardi setting out why it proposes to

find that the company infringed Chapter II of the Competition Act

1998 by entering into a number of agreements requiring pubs and bars,

among other things, to sell only white rum produced by Bacardi.

Bacardi is the main supplier of white rum in the UK.

The company now has the opportunity to make written and oral

representations in response to the OFT's proposed decision. These

will be taken fully into account before any final decision is made.

NOTES

1 Powers under the Competition Act 1998 The Act gives the OFT powers

to investigate suspected infringements of the Act's prohibitions:

i) the Chapter I prohibition prohibits agreements between

undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings or concerted

practices which have the object or effect of preventing, restricting

or distorting competition in the UK (or any part of it) and which may

affect trade within the UK (or any part of it); and

ii) the Chapter II prohibition prohibits conduct by one or more

undertakings which amounts to the abuse of a dominant position in a

market which may affect trade within the UK (or any part of it).

2. Rule 14 of the Competition Act 1998 (Director's rules) Order 2000

requires the OFT to provide a written notice to each person who OFT

considers is engaged in the conduct which has led to an infringement.

Bacardi has today received such a notice.

3 In this press release the functions of the Director General of

Fair Trading (DGFT) under the Act are for simplicity described as the

functions of "the OFT". The Enterprise Bill proposes to replace the

office of the DGFT with the OFT, to which would be transferred the

DGFT's functions.



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