The Czech Office for the Protection of Competition has finalized a fine of 38.971 million CZK (€1.61 million) against HP TRONIC Zlín following an appeal decision issued by the authority’s Chairman, Petr Mlsna. The ruling confirms that the major consumer electronics distributor and retailer—which operates extensive retail networks and e-commerce platforms under prominent brands such as DATART and ETA—engaged in illegal resale price maintenance agreements that restricted market competition.
The initial penalty was imposed in May 2026 after the competition watchdog determined that HP TRONIC had systematically dictated minimum resale prices to its business customers for over a decade, beginning in 2012. The unlawful price-fixing targeted a broad spectrum of products, including major and minor household appliances, consumer electronics, computing equipment, and telecommunications devices. According to the findings, HP TRONIC actively monitored market compliance, demanded that cheaper sellers raise their prices to mandated minimum thresholds, and levied sanctions against non-compliant retailers.
Although HP TRONIC admitted guilt and pursued a settlement, the company appealed the magnitude of the financial sanction. The firm argued that the base of relevant sales used to calculate the penalty was excessively broad. Chairman Mlsna rejected the appeal, affirming that the calculation was strictly lawful, proportional, and individualized. He noted that the regulator had already narrowed the scope of affected sales to specific impacted brands during the penalty calculation. Furthermore, the final penalty represents only a fraction of one percent of HP TRONIC’s total net turnover for 2025, ensuring that the sanction is neither disproportionate nor financially devastating to the firm.
The case stands out as a rare enforcement action that simultaneously utilized both the leniency program and a formal settlement procedure. In determining the final sanction, the Office credited HP TRONIC for its self-admission, cooperation, and post-investigation efforts to strengthen internal competition compliance programs.
This enforcement action aligns with a sustained campaign by the Czech competition authority against vertical price fixing by major suppliers. Regulators emphasize that fixed resale pricing artificially unifies consumer prices, destroys brand-level price competition among buyers, and inflates costs for everyday retail customers. The decision follows substantial penalties delivered against other major players in consumer goods, including past fines against Electrolux (125 million CZK / ~€5.18 million), VAFO (120 million CZK / ~€4.97 million), Groupe SEB (72 million CZK / ~€2.98 million), and Tescoma (64 million CZK / ~€2.65 million).
