A Danish interior and furniture company has been found guilty of participating in a cartel, following a final decision by the Competition Appeals Board.
The ruling upholds the Danish Competition Council's March 2024 finding that Hübsch coordinated price increases and shared pricing information with competitor Broste Copenhagen. This illegal collaboration resulted in unjustified customer charges, including a Covid-19 fee and general price hikes across most Hübsch products.
According to the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority, the collusion occurred between January and July 2021 during the launch of both companies' spring/summer and autumn/winter collections. Hübsch raised prices after consulting Broste Copenhagen, which had already admitted to breaching competition laws in April 2023 and paid a DKK 6 million fine.
Evidence gathered by the Authority included internal emails, text messages, and recorded phone conversations. These communications revealed clear discussions between senior employees at both firms on how much to raise prices, and how to present the increases to avoid suspicion.
Deputy Director General of the Authority, Tine Rønde, stated that the conduct was 'a clear violation of the competition rules', and the Appeals Board's confirmation reinforces this view.
The case against Hübsch will now proceed to the Maritime and Commercial Court, where a civil fine will be determined.
This decision marks a significant step in Denmark's continued efforts to uphold fair competition and penalise anti-competitive practices within the business sector.
Source: www.wood-supply.dk