The Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) unanimously issued Decision No. 924/2026, accepting a dispute settlement proposal from Greek pet food importer KTENAS. Under the terms of the settlement, the antitrust regulator imposed a reduced fine of €521,864 for illegal resale price maintenance (RPM) and restrictions on online commerce, which breached Article 1 of Greek Law 3959/2011 and Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
The investigation focused on the import, production, and retail markets for cat and dog food across Greece. The case originated from an anonymous tip submitted through the HCC’s digital whistleblowing platform, leading the Directorate General of Competition to conduct unannounced on-site inspections across sector distributors in November 2024. The settlement follows a related sectoral enforcement action under Decision No. 901/2026 stemming from the same probe. Faced with substantial evidence of anti-competitive practices, KTENAS requested entry into the settlement procedure under HCC Decision No. 790/2022.
Case evidence revealed that KTENAS systematically enforced a vertical resale price fixing scheme. The company mandated a uniform retail price list across physical storefronts, individual e-commerce sites, and major digital marketplaces like Skroutz. Retailer compliance was policed through continuous monitoring, horizontal complaints encouraged among competing sellers, and explicit threats of commercial retaliation. Retailers who undercut the fixed prices faced immediate order cancellations and the termination of business relationships.
In addition to fixing prices, KTENAS restricted digital sales by banning resellers from displaying prices on their online storefronts. Regulators determined that this policy severely restricted passive and online consumer access, insulating physical stores from price competition and securing rigid retail pricing across the market.
Taking into account the company’s formal admission of liability and settlement agreement, the HCC Plenary accepted the rapporteur’s recommendations to penalize KTENAS €521,864, signaling continued enforcement against vertical restraints in European consumer product supply chains.