Jeronimo Martins Dystrybucja may have to pay a fine for providing false information - the President of UOKiK has instituted proceedings in this regard.

In January this year, following an application by Jeronimo Martins Dystrybucja, the President of UOKiK initiated antitrust proceedings concerning the company’s intention to acquire the control over Plus Discount. The transaction had to be notified to the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection since it involved enterprises whose total turnover in the preceding year exceeded EUR 50 million in Poland. In the course of UOKiK proceedings the notifying party - that is Jeronimo Martins - has the obligation to provide the Office with true information. The analyses of UOKiK show that the company provided it with false data.

Due to the above, on 3 September this year the President of UOKiK initiated antitrust proceedings concerning possible imposition of a fine on Jeronimo Martins. In UOKiK’s opinion, the application concerning the envisaged transaction included false information about a local supermarket in Poland.

The President of UOKiK may impose a fine of up to EUR 50 million on an enterprise which has provided the Office with false information in an merger application. What is more, it is worth noting that fines may also be imposed on the company’s executives who, when requested by UOKiK for specific information, provided the Office with false data. In this situation fines may reach fifty times the average remuneration.

Additional information:
Małgorzata Cieloch, Spokesperson for UOKiK
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warsaw, Poland
Tel. (+48 22) 827 28 92, 55 60 106, 55 60 430
faks (+48 22) 826 11 86
E-mail: mcieloch@uokik.gov.pl