Darty, Whirlpool, Boulanger: Price fixing of household goods exposed in France

Ten manufacturers and two retailers of household appliances have been fined a total of €611m by the French competition watchdog for colluding to maintain higher selling prices between 2007 and 2014. 

The sanction from the Autorité de la concurrence affects manufacturers BSH, Candy Hoover, Eberhardt, Electrolux, Whirlpool, LG, Miele, SEB, Smeg and Whirlpool along with retailers Boulanger and Darty. 

The Autorité de la concurrence says that these companies worked together to “reduce competition… and keep prices high for consumers” by avoiding making certain products available for online sale and relying on opaque recommended retail prices.

“The traditional distributors - including the two main ones, Darty and Boulanger - participated fully in these agreements”, says the Autorité. 

Read more: From food to furniture: where to find a bargain in France

It adds that the influence of these major outlets ensured that “the products they sold would not be significantly cheaper elsewhere, particularly online”.

The decision, published on December 19, follows an earlier fine of €189m for these practices issued by the competition watchdog in 2018.

The largest fine (€189.5m) was levied against cookware manufacturer SEB, which released a statement rejecting “any allegation that its practices have not complied with competition rules”.

“We always act in the interests of our clients and for the benefit of French consumers, in strict compliance with current regulations,” says the company statement, adding that SEB will contest the fine.

Boulanger is also planning to appeal against its own €84.35m fine.

The other 10 companies, including retailer Darty which faces a €109m fine, are not planning to appeal. 

Darty says that it hopes the ruling “brings a complex procedure to a swift conclusion”.