Bundeskartellamt imposes fines on paper plate manufacturers
25.01.2011
Last week the Bundeskartellamt imposed fines on five manufacturers and one wholesaler of paper plates on account of price and customer protection agreements. The fines amount to € 1 million in total.
The companies concerned are Feinpappenwerk Gebr. Schuster GmbH & Co. KG, Hebertshausen, Hosti International GmbH, Pfedelbach, CL Rick Produktionsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Schleiden, PAPSTAR Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Kall, Dr. Rösler & Weiss KG, Wuppertal and Zechel Pappteller GmbH, Altlußheim.
The President of the Bundeskartellamt, Andreas Mundt, stated: "The authority's investigations were triggered by complaints from buyers of the products that were subject to the cartel agreements. The companies have participated over several years in price and customer protection agreements and thus precluded fair market conditions."
According to the Bundeskartellamt's investigations, representatives of the companies participated in numerous meetings of a nationwide cartel for paper plates, paper bowls, takeaway bowls and paper cake trays from at least 1999 to October 2002, when the Bundeskartellamt conducted a search.
In the course of the proceedings, the companies Schuster, Hosti, Zechel and Rösler applied for leniency and cooperated extensively with the Bundeskartellamt in the uncovering of the cartel. This was considered in the calculation of their fines, which were reduced accordingly.
The fines against the four cooperative companies are final. The proceedings against the other two companies were also terminated by way of settlement. 