The Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) opened an infringement proceeding against the undertaking IloÄki podrumi after having assessed the writing by a supplier of grapes which was communicated to the CCA by the Ministry of Agriculture.
In the course of the proceeding the CCA found that IloÄki podrumi imposed unfair trading practices in the form of superior bargaining position with respect to its suppliers of grapes regarding the grape harvest 2018.
Namely, in its published general terms for the purchase of grapes in the grape harvest 2018 IloÄki podrumi set the terms of payment later than 30 days in spite of the fact that this contravenes with the provisions of the Act on the prohibition of unfair trading practices in the business to business food supply chain (UTPs Act) regarding the payment of fresh agri products and thus is regarded as imposition of unfair trading practices on the suppliers.
The CCA examined the contract that was submitted to it by the complainant, on the basis of which the infringement proceeding was initiated in the first place, and found that IloÄki podrumi, as a processor of grapes, actually agreed the terms of payment that were longer than 30 days.
Not only was the payment made later than 30 days the payment deadline that cannot be exceeded as laid down by the UTPs Act but was even outside the deadline for payment set by the agreement.
What is more, the agreement did not contain any essential provision on the duration of the agreement, which also contravenes with the provisions of the UTPs Act.
IloÄki podrumi imposed the unfair trading practices on this supplier in the time period from 28 September 2018 to 2 September 2019 on eleven purchase orders.
The above described infringements constitute serious infringements of the UTPs Act that provides fines in such cases in the amount of up to HRK 3.5 million ($513,519) for a legal person.
Taking into account the gravity, the scope and the duration and the consequences of the infringement concerned for the suppliers, as well as the extenuating circumstances, IloÄki podrumi was imposed a fine in the amount of HRK 250,000 (36,679) and also prohibited any further infringement practices. ■