“There are suspicions that the companies Edenred Romania, Sodexo Pass Romania and Up Romania colluded to fix the sale and purchase prices and other conditions for the sale of vouchers, but also to share the voucher issuing and selling services market. The Competition authority has evidence that the three voucher issuers coordinated their behavior within certain bids in which they participated, as well as in establishing the level of commissions for the reimbursement of vouchers charged from affiliated stores,” the Competition Council claims.
To this end, the Competition Council carried out unannounced checkups at the headquarters of the companies targeted by the investigation, and also at the head office of the Professional Association of Voucher Issuers and the Association of the Council of Romanian Electronic Voucher Issuers.
Should the Competition Council find antitrust violations, the companies targeted by its probe are liable to fines of up to 10% of turnover. However, companies that cooperate with the competition authority, under the leniency program, can obtain immunity from fines or substantial reductions of fines.
Antitrust laws ban any collusion between companies and concerted practices that hinder, restrain or distort competition on the Romanian market.