Dive Summary:
- Nestle Canada Inc., Mars Inc.'s Canada arm and independent wholesale distributor network ITWAL Ltd. all face criminal price fixing charges from Canada's Competition Bureau, with individual charges against former Nestle Canada Inc. president Robert Leonidas, former Nestle Canada president of confectionery Sandra Martinez and ITWAL president and chief executive Glenn Stevens.
- The bureau must prove that the competing companies agreed to fix prices and created "an undue economic effect" on the market, and a conviction would mean millions of dollars in fines for the companies and potential jail time for the individuals.
- Hershey Canada Inc. already pleaded guilty to one count of price fixing, with lenient treatment recommended by the bureau for its cooperation, but Nestle and Mars both announced their intentions to "vigorously defend" themselves against the charges that date as far back as 2007 and earlier.
From the article:
... "We are fully committed to pursuing those who engage in egregious anticompetitive behavior that harms Canadian consumers," said interim competition commissioner John Pecman. "Price-fixing is a serious criminal offense and today's charges demonstrate the Competition Bureau's resolve to stop cartel activity in Canada." ...