The Swedish Competition Authority’s decision to fine supplier of bathroom and kitchen fixtures for price-fixing upheld

"Price-fixing is a serious violation of the competition rules that risks harming competition and leading to higher prices for consumers. This is the first case since the Swedish Competition Authority was granted decision-making power regarding administrative fines in which a company has been fined for so-called vertical price-fixing. I am therefore very pleased that the court has sided with the Competition Authority" says Marie Östman, Director General of the Swedish Competition Authority.

Tapwell supplies kitchen and bath fixtures. In December 2023, the Swedish Competition Authority decided that the company should pay SEK 16.9 million in adminstrative fines for violating the prohibition on anti-competitive cooperation.

The Swedish Competition Authority’s investigation showed that for nearly two and a half years, the company had limited retailers’ ability to independently set prices for its products when selling them online, primarily to private consumers. The Authority considered the price-fixing particularly serious because it involved online sales, which have a wide reach.

Tapwell appealed the Swedish Competition Authority’s decision to the Patent and Market Court, which has now ruled that the supplier did indeed violate the prohibition on anti-competitive cooperation. Therefore, the decision regarding administrative fine stands.

The decision from the Patent and Market Court can be appealed to the Patent and Market Court of Appeal.

Marie Strömberg Lindvall, Press Officer, +46 08-700 15 92, Marie.StrombergLindvall@kkv.se
Stefan Vujcic, Legal Counsel, +46 08-700 16 65, stefan.vujcic@kkv.se