• UOKiK searched the seat of Fellowes Polska, an enterprise selling office equipment.
• It was related to pending explanatory proceedings, in which the Office checks whether prices have been fixed on this market.
• It has been another search this year. Previous dawn raids concerned for example IT industry.

At the end of March, the Office searched the headquarters of Fellowes Polska, an enterprise that sells office equipment on the Polish market. The search was connected with pending explanatory proceedings, in which the Office checks whether the prices of shredders could have been fixed.

We constantly monitor various sectors and analyse available information. We have initiated the investigation procedure because we were interested in wholesale and retail resale prices of various types of one brand shredders. We suspect that resale prices could have been vertically fixed, i.e. unified. We are afraid that distributors could impose wholesale and retail prices on its contractors against the law. Such practices always have a negative impact on both competition and consumers’ wallets, says the President of UOKiK, Marek Niechciał.

One of the proofs in this case is the agreement on commercial cooperation, signed by Fellowes Polska with its contractors. It contained a provision stating that the sale of shredders at fixed prices or non-compliance with the company’s commercial policy would result in a failure to give discounts obtained by the contractors. This suggested that the enterprise persuaded its contractors.

The material collected during the search in electronic and paper form will be thoroughly analysed. The Office will decide if and to against whom specific charges will be levelled.

A search at an entrepreneur’s office is a measure taken by the Office when it suspects that an entity has substantial evidence. It is conducted only after the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection is granted a search warrant and is most often assisted by the police. An entrepreneur is then required to let officers into the buildings and rooms, and to make documents and data carriers available to them.

The participation in an arrangement that restricts competition can lead to a fine of up to 10% of an enterprise’s turnover. The investigation procedure is the first step taken by UOKiK. It is conducted with regard to, not against entrepreneurs.

The leniency programme gives an entrepreneur participating in an illegal agreement a chance to avoid fine or reduce its amount provided that it will cooperate with UOKiK and provide evidence or information about the existence of an unlawful agreement. Entrepreneurs interested in the leniency programme are encouraged to contact the Office. UOKiK lawyers can be reached at 22 55 60 555 and they will answer all questions regarding leniency applications, including anonymous ones.

If you know anything about collusions or practices restricting competition, please report them to UOKiK. The Office runs a programme aimed at obtaining information from anonymous persons aware of practices restricting competition. Contact us at 22 55 60 500 or at the following email address: [SCODE]c3lnbmFsaXN0YUB1b2tpay5nb3YucGw=[ECODE]. All information about the programme can be found at: konkurs.uokik.gov.pl.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: [SCODE]Yml1cm9wcmFzb3dlQHVva2lrLmdvdi5wbA==[ECODE]
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL