The Romanian Competition Council (Consiliul Concurenței) has carried out surprise inspections at six of the country’s largest retail chains, focusing on the dairy products sector.
The inspections are part of a wider investigation into how major retailers comply with Law No. 81/2022 on unfair commercial practices in the agricultural and food supply chain, particularly in their dealings with milk and dairy producers.
The retailers inspected include cash & carry stores such as Metro Cash & Carry Romania S.R.L. and Selgros Cash & Carry S.R.L., hypermarkets like Auchan Romania S.A., Carrefour Romania S.A., and Kaufland Romania S.C.S., as well as supermarkets including Mega Image S.R.L.
Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation suggest a range of potential issues, including delays in payments for perishable products, short notice periods for contract termination or product delisting, cumulative discounts and rebates that may exceed legal limits, delayed product reception and documentation, and payments required for product listing. There are also indications that some delistings may have been used to pressure suppliers into accepting unfavorable contract terms.
Law No. 81/2022, which implements EU Directive 2019/633, aims to protect suppliers by preventing unfair commercial practices in the supply chain.
The inspections were authorised by the Bucharest Court of Appeal to ensure that the Competition Council can access all necessary information and documents. The authorities emphasise that these inspections do not imply any presumption of guilt for the companies involved.
If the Council confirms violations, the retailers could face fines of up to 600,000 lei (around €120,000) or 1% of their turnover, and the authority may take additional measures to prevent further unfair practices.
