German competition authorities have fined units of Henkel, Sara Lee and Unilever some €37m for price-fixing and sharing pricing information with retailers.
The Federal Cartel Office said the companies agreed in early 2006 to raise by 5% the price of Pril and Palmolive washing up detergents, Fa, Duschdas and Palmolive shower gels, and Signal, Dentagard and Colgate toothpaste brands.
The products are made by Henkel, Sara Lee, Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive. Colgate-Palmolive cooperated with the investigation and would thus avoid a fine, the statement said.
The companies also illegally exchanged information about ongoing price talks with retailers, in particular regarding requests for price rebates, the cartel office said.
'The exchange of sensitive information on negotiations on price rebates limits competition and is contrary to German and European anti-cartel laws,' said cartel office head Bernhard Heitzer.
The cartel office plans to soon launch new proceedings against other brands but it declined giving details, in accordance with its practice.
