21 October 2020, Budapest – The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has established that Heineken failed to appropriately justify its commitment to decrease the amount of beer sold under exclusive contracts, thus the authority has imposed a fine on the undertaking.
In 2015, the GVH accepted the commitments offered by the three largest Hungarian breweries, Dreher, Borsodi and Heineken to gradually decrease the amount of beer sold to restaurants under exclusive contracts. Alternative, small-scale breweries have thus received an opportunity to enter market segments previously cut off from competition.
In a follow-up investigation, the Competition Authority monitored whether the three big breweries have fulfilled their commitments. The investigation already established in December 2019 that the commitments of Dreher and Borsodi have indeed been fulfilled. However, the third large brewery, Heineken did not follow the methodology and form of the certification of the commitments ordered by the GVH, incidentally proposed by the breweries themselves. The calculations and statements necessary for the verification of the commitments submitted by the undertaking within the deadline set forth by it were not in the ordered form, due to which the Competition Authority has imposed a fine of HUF 75 million on the undertaking.
The official registration number of the case is: VJ/6/2018.
GVH Press Office