Czech Competition Authority Opens Food Sector Inquiry. How To Prepare?

The Czech Competition Authority just announced that it will open a fast-track sector inquiry focused on the prices of four basic food items. While the items remain undisclosed, it is generally presumed that the inquiry follows political pressure regarding price increases of items like sugar, flour, butter, bread or milk. The focus of the inquiry will be on margins in all stages of the food supply chain. The Authority aims to identify why price increases in the four food items have even exceeded the latest inflation rates and whether there are unjustified margin increases on any level of the supply chain.

According to sources, the Authority aims to close the inquiry by the end of April this year, meaning that the next two months will be very intense both for the Authority and addressees of the Authority's requests for information. Given the scope of the inquiry, aimed as it is at all levels of the supply chain, probably more than a hundred requests for information