Arla Foods Sweden must pay SEK 1,130,000 in competition damages for being guilty of an unauthorized collaboration in connection with a procurement.
Arla has earlier admitted that the company was guilty of the unauthorized collaboration but has claimed that it will not have to pay a competition damage fee as the company has provided information and evidence of the infringement to the Swedish Competition Authority.
Since it concerns information that the Swedish Competition Authority had required Arla to provide two months earlier, the Swedish Competition Authorities can’t see any reason to grant Arla a remission of the competition damage fee.
– We welcome that the court makes it clear that concession is only possible when a company on its own initiative submits important information and evidence to the Swedish Competition Authority. The judgment shows that it is important for companies to be proactive and voluntarily come forward and disclose an infringement or provide decisive evidence to be considered for leniency. It underlines the importance of not waiting to inform the Swedish Competition Authority of a violation, says the Swedish Competition Authority’s director general Rikard Jermsten.
Read the full press release HERE