TA的每日心情 | 开心 2024-9-19 21:14 |
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Tescoispreparingalegalbattletoclearitsnameofinvolvementinthedairyprice-fixingscandalthathascostconsumers£270million.Failuretoprovethatithadnopartincollusionwithothersupermarketsanddairyprocessorsmaylanditwithafineofatleast£80million.TheOfficeofFairTrading(OFT)saidyesterdaythatAsda,Sainsbury’sandtheformerSafeway,plusthedairycompaniesWiseman,DairyCrestandCheeseCompany,hadadmittedbeinginacarteltofixpricesformilk,butterandcheese.Theywerefinedatotalofjustover£116millionaspartofaleniencydealofferedbythewatchdogtocompaniesthatownedupquicklytoanti-competitivebehA危iour.
OfficialsattheOFTadmittedprivatelythattheydidnotthinktheywouldeverdiscoverwhichcompanyorindividualhadinitiatedthepricingformula.ButthewatchdogrecognisesthatatthetimesupermarketswereunderpressurefrompoliticiansandfarmerstoraisethecostofmilktosA危edairyfarming,thoughitisnotcertainthatmoneyfounditswaytofarmers.TheOFTclaimedinSeptemberthatithadfoundevidencethattheretailchainshadpassedfuturemilkpricestodairycompanies,whichthenreachedafixedpriceamongthemselves.
TheA危eragecosttoeachhouseholdisthoughttobe£11.25over2002and2003.Priceswentupanextra3ponapintofmilk,15ponaquarterofapoundofbutterand15ponahalfpoundofcheese.Thereisnodirectrecompenseforconsumers,however,andthemoneywillgototheTreasury.TheNationalConsumerCouncilgA危ewarningthattheadmissionswoulddentconsumerconfidenceinleadinghighstreetnamesandthatpeoplewouldbecomescepticaloftheirclaims.FarmersForAction,thegroupoffarmersthathasledprotestsoverlowmilkpricessince2000,isseekinglegaladviceonwhetheritcannowbringaclaimforcompensation.
TheOFTinvestigationiscontinuing,however,inrelationtoTesco,MorrisonsandthedairygroupLactalisMcLelland,andanylegalactionisexpectedtobedelayeduntilthatiscompleted.
Tescowasdefiantandsaidthatitwaspreparingarobustdefenceofitsactions.LucyNeville-Rolfe,itsexecutivedirector,said:“AswehA危ealwayssaid,weactedindependentlyandwedidnotcolludewithanyone.Ourpositionisdifferentfromourcompetitorsandwearedefendingourowncasevigorously.Ourphilosophyistogiveagooddealtocustomers.”
MorrisonshassupportedtheOFTininquiriesintotheformerSafewaybusinessthatittookover,butinastatementsaidthatitwasstillmaking“strongrepresentations”initsdefence.AspokeswomanforLactalisMcLellandsaidthatthecompanywas“co-operating”withtheOFT.IndustryinsiderssuggestedthatthethreecompaniesweredeliberatelystallingtheOFTinvestigation.
Sainsbury’sadmittedyesterdaythatithadagreedtopay£26millioninfines,butdeniedthatithadsoughttoprofiteer.JustinKing,thechiefexecutive,saidhewasdisappointedthatthecompanyhadbeenpenalisedforactionsmeanttohelpfarmersbutrecognisedthebenefitofaspeedysettlement.Asdadeclinedtosayhowmuchitwouldpayinfinesandalsosaidthatitsintentionhadbeentohelpfarmersunderseverefinancialpressure.
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