Against Brau Union

After application for a fine: patience is now required

Brau Union was targeted by the cartel watchdogs.(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

Beverage customers were allegedly threatened that they would no longer be sold beer if they did not also purchase other beverages from Brau Union - this is one of the infringements by Brau Union that the Federal Competition Authority objected to. The cartel watchdogs applied for a fine. However, the amount of the fine will be a long time coming.

The Federal Competition Authority has filed an application for the imposition of an appropriate fine and the cessation of infringements against Brau Union due to violations of the prohibition of abuses and cartels - this was the message published by the cartel watchdogs a week ago on Tuesday.

Brau Union spoke of a "fundamental misunderstanding"
Austria's largest brewery company is alleged to have abused its dominant market position to restrict the market entry of competing beer producers and to drive existing drinks retailers out of the market. The Heineken subsidiary based in Linz then spoke of a "fundamental misunderstanding".

However, the ball is now in the cartel court's court. There, a decision must be made on the application for the fine and a sum determined. By when can a decision be expected? The antitrust court has no deadline here, it says.

Turnover in 2022 was 850 million euros
Above all, the authority has to sift through a lot of material: The Federal Competition Authority's application is around 240 pages long. The fine can amount to up to 10% of the previous year's consolidated turnover and thus be in the millions. Brau Union's turnover in 2022 was 850 million euros.