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EU Fines Oki-Data $746,000 for Price Fixing.
October 1- The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it has imposed a hefty fine of $746,818/673,259 euro on Oki-Data for engaging in price-fixing practices within the European market.An in-depth investigation conducted by the Commission uncovered that between January 2017 and December 2020, Oki-Data colluded with various distributors to maintain artificially high resale prices for its flagship products. This coordinated effort aimed to suppress competition and maintain profit margins across multiple EU member states.
According to the Commission’s findings, Oki-Data and its network of distributors communicated regularly to establish minimum resale prices, effectively preventing retailers from offering discounts to consumers. This practice not only stifled competition but also harmed consumers by denying them the benefits of competitive pricing.
In an unexpected turn, one of the involved distributors opted to cooperate with the investigation, providing crucial evidence that led to the Commission’s decision. This distributor has been granted immunity from fines under the leniency program, acknowledging its role in exposing the anti-competitive behavior.
The Commission emphasized that such practices are detrimental to market integrity and consumer welfare, and it will continue to monitor the print market for similar violations.
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