2024-07-31 21:56:54
The European Commission has launched an investigation into two major food delivery companies over suspected cartel involvement. They are investigating the popular in Bulgaria platform for online orders and deliveries “Glovo” (Glovo, Spanish) and the German “Delivery Hero” (Delivery Hero), which are suspected of illegal coordination of prices, etc., which is a detriment to market competition.
The two companies are actually related. Delivery Hero became a minority shareholder in Glovo in 2018, and in the summer of 2022 took control of the Spanish company. The EC announced the investigation in a press release, making it clear that the investigation is into possible violations committed before the Germans took over Glovo in 2022. The aim is to establish that then the two companies agreed to share markets and exchanged ” sensitive commercial information” – about prices, commercial strategies, capacity, costs, product characteristics”, the European Commission states.
“Delivery Hero” and “Glovo” were already the subject of surprise inspections in July 2022 and November 2023. Now the next, more serious phase begins – a thorough investigation into possible practices that violate EU antitrust rules, writes Sega.
If the suspicions are confirmed, the EC will impose fines.