HP Tronic Faces Nearly CZK 40 Million Fine for Dictating Prices to Retailers
HP TRONIC is a major Czech distributor and, in particular, a retailer of consumer goods, primarily electronics. Through its subsidiaries, it operates an extensive network of retail stores and an e-shop.
Since 2012, for more than 10 years, HP TRONIC has set minimum prices on its retail customers for sales to end consumers, thereby restricting retailers from independent setting their own selling prices and selling goods at lower prices. The price-fixing applied to both large and small household appliances, consumer electronics, computer equipment, and telecommunication devices.
HP TRONIC monitored compliance with the set prices and urged retailers who sold goods at lower prices to raise their prices to the set level. In cases of non-compliance with the fixed prices, it actually imposed sanctions on “non-compliant” retailers.
When imposing the fine, the Office took into account that the company had admitted its involvement in anticompetitive conduct and requested the application of the leniency program. A further reduction of the sanction was granted as a result of the company’s enhancement of its internal compliance programme and the fulfilment of the settlement conditions.
The Office for the Protection of Competition has long fought against suppliers dictating retail prices. As a result of these vertical agreements, there is an illegal price harmonisation, as well as an increase in the price level for consumers. In recent years, the Office has imposed significant fines for these practices, particularly in the areas of household appliances and pet food. These included, for example, fines against Electrolux (CZK 125 million), VAFO (CZK 120 million), Groupe SEB (CZK 72 million), Tescoma (CZK 64 million), and others.
26/065 – S0551/2023
2026-10-01 / The Office Imposed Record Fine of Nearly CZK 2 billion for Cartel Agreement among Cable Manufacturers The Office for the Protection of Competition (the Office) imposed fines totalling CZK 1,942,000,000 on four companies operating in the cable manufacturing and sales sector for a cartel agreement. One...
2026-09-24 / Pet Food Distributor Fined CZK 36 million Plaček Pet Products s.r.o., a distributor of premium pet food and pet supplies, was fined CZK 36.438 million by the Office for the Protection of Competition (the Office). From 17 January 2013 to 3 March...
2026-09-17 / Lesy ČR banned wood-chip exports and were imposed a fine of more than CZK 17 million The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as the "Office") imposed a fine of CZK 17.268 million on the state-owned company Lesy ČR (Forests of the Czech Republic) for violating...
2026-09-11 / Pegasus Cleared to Acquire Czech Airlines, Office for the Protection of Competition Approved the Merger Subject to Conditions The Office for the Protection of Competition (the Office) has approved the acquisition of Czech Airlines (České aerolinie a.s.) — and subsequently the airline Smartwings — by the Turkish group...
2026-08-26 / Fines exceeding CZK 280 million imposed on O2 Czech Republic and SHERLOG Technology for cartel agreement SHERLOG Technology, a.s. and O2 Czech Republic a.s. (hereinafter referred to as “SHERLOG” and “O2”) entered into a cartel agreement in the area of vehicle and other means of transport monitoring...
2026-08-17 / Chairman of the Czech Competition Authority Definitively Confirms Fines for Meal Voucher Issuers’ Cartel Meal voucher issuers Pluxee Česká republika a.s., Edenred CZ s.r.o., and Up Česká republika s.r.o. are required to pay fines totalling CZK 279,152,000. The decision has now been definitively confirmed...
2026-06-30 / Annual Report 2025: CZK 500 Million in Antitrust Fines and Complex Public Procurement Cases The Czech Office for the Protection of Competition has published its annual report, summarising the results of its activities in 2025. In addition to protecting competition, the Office is responsible...
2026-04-29 / Proceedings against energy companies have been terminated The Office for the Protection of Competition has terminated the administrative proceedings conducted against ČEZ, a.s., EP Energy, a.s., a Veolia Energie ČR, a.s