CCI Penalises Beer Manufacturers For Cartelisation

1. BACKGROUND

1.1. Pursuant to the leniency application filed by Crown Beers India Private Limited and SABMiller India Limited ("SABMiller"),¹ the Competition Commission of India ("CCI") initiated an investigation and on September 24, 2021, penalised United Breweries Limited ("UBL"), SABMiller and Carlsberg India Private Limited ("Carlsberg") (UBL, SABMiller and Carlsberg collectively referred to as the 'Beer Manufacturers') for indulging in cartelisation between 2009 to 2018,² under the aegis of the All India Brewers' Association ("AIBA")³ in relation to the sale and supply of beer in various States and Union Territories in India.⁴

1.2. During the course of the investigation, the Director General ("DG") also conducted search and seizure operations (popularly known as 'dawn raids') on the premises of the Beer Manufacturers. Thereafter, leniency applications were filed by UBL and its officials⁵ as well as Carlsberg.