Norgesgruppen defies the Competition Authority – will continue with prize hunters

On Wednesday morning, the Norwegian Competition Authority announced that the three grocery companies will be fined a total of NOK 4.9 billion for illegal price collusion over several years. The authority believes that the collaboration has weakened competition and given consumers high prices.

The inspectorate points to the collaboration of bounty hunters who have gained access to the chains’ respective stores as the core of the problem, and the three have also been ordered to stop this. The three companies believe the scheme is important to keep prices as low as possible.

– We have no plans to cut out the prize hunters. If we are to be the cheapest, we must know what the prices are in the market. This applies to all trade, says communications director Stein Rømmerud in the Norgesgruppen The online newspaper.

The chains deny that they have done anything wrong and have appealed the decision to the Competition Appeal Board. After treatment there, the case may end up in the legal system.

Rømmerud says that the Norwegian group is prepared to appeal the case to the Supreme Court if necessary.

– The next step will now be legal, and it will continue for many years, he says.

Coop and Rema will not tell the newspaper what they want to do about the bounty hunter issue.