What does bathroom renovation have to do with antitrust violations? This will be checked by the President of UOKiK

The President of UOKiK will check whether entrepreneurs selling bathroom equipment of various brands have infringed antitrust regulations. Employees of UOKiK conducted searches at the headquarters of companies from the Oltens and Radaway groups, as well as in online and stationary sales outlets. In total, 12 entrepreneurs were searched.

Bathroom renovation in violation of antitrust rules?

– We checked companies involved in the production, marketing and sale of bathroom equipment in stationary and online stores. We suspect that entrepreneurs together with their distributors may participate in an agreement involving, among others, on pricing, including retail resale prices. Such actions would be a violation of competition law and would deprive consumers of the opportunity to buy products cheaper than the price imposed from above, explains Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK.

Explanatory proceedings are conducted in the case, not against specific entrepreneurs. Extensive material collected in the course of searches is currently being analysed. If the suspicions are confirmed on its basis, the President of the Office will initiate antimonopoly proceedings and bring charges against specific entities. Participation in a competition-restricting agreement is punishable by a financial penalty of up to 10% of the company’s turnover. entrepreneur’s turnover. Managers responsible for concluding a collusion are threatened with a fine of up to PLN 2 million.