OREANDA-NEWS. March 21, 2011. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Bryansk region (Bryansk OFAS Russia) found that sever bread-baking complexes in the Bryanks region (“Bezhitsk Bread-Baking Complex” OJSC), “Karavai” Bryansk Bread-Baking Complex” OJSC, “No.1 Bryansk Bread-Baking Complex” State Unitary Enterprise, “Zheleznodorozhnaya” Trading Company” OJSC (“ZhTC” OJSC) in the person of “Bryansk Bread Plant” Trading and Production Association, of the Moscow branch of “ZhTC” OJSC, “Unecha Bread-Baking Complex” OJSC, “Dyatkovo-Khleb” OJSC and “Khlebogor” OJSC) violated Clause 1 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Grounds for initiating the case: the findings of analysis of daily information about ex-works purchasing prices, submitted by the bread-baking complexes.

The companies violated the law by simultaneously increasing prices for rye-wheat bread and wheat loafs. The wholesale ex-works prices per unit of products were:

- rye-wheat bread - 12 Rubles 17 kopeks,

- wheat loafs – 12 Rubles.

Since 10th December 2010 retail prices of popular bread and loafs have increased by two Rubles.

Having investigated the case, the Commission of Bryansk OFAS Russia issued determinations to the seven bread-baking complexes in the Bryansk region to stop the antimonopoly violations. The case materials will be transferred to the responsible official to initiate administrative proceedings against the above economic entities.

Reference:

1. Clause 1 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” prohibits competition-restricting agreements or concerted actions between economic entities on the markets if they lead or can lead to fixing or maintaining prices (tariffs), discounts, mark-ups, surcharges.

2. Analysing operations of the above economic entities as part the price monitoring on the market of socially-important food products, Bryansk OFAS Russia revealed a violation of Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” - unreasonable increase of prices for butter, and has initiated nine cases upon the facts of failure to submit information under Part 5 Article 19.8 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Antimonopoly Violations.