Inspectors from the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) conducted a raid on the Athens offices of Nestle Hellas, the Greek branch of the Swiss-based food and beverage multinational, Wednesday and Thursday in search of evidence that could point to the company’s alleged involvement in cartel activities and abuse of its dominant market position.
While the HCC has not officially disclosed the identity of the company targeted in the operation, a Nestle Hellas representative confirmed to Kathimerini that the raid took place at the Swiss multinational’s Athens office.
Inspections target enterprises or associations suspected of orchestrating anti-competitive practices in markets under investigation, the HCC announced in a statement, while clarifying that these checks do not imply that these entities have engaged in such behavior, nor do they prejudge the investigation’s outcome.
This is not the first time Nestle has come under scrutiny by the HCC. In 2009, the company was fined nearly €30 million after being found guilty of abusing its dominant market position. Violations included blocking imports by rival companies, imposing exclusive supply clauses, and other anti-competitive practices related to one of its most iconic products in the Greek market – coffee.
