Drinks companies seek price fixing compensation

UK brewers Adnams and Fuller’s are among 27 companies seeking compensation in a lawsuit against major truck manufacturers involved in price fixing.

A European Commission ruled in 2016 that five truck manufacturers: MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler/Mercedes, Iveco and DAF, had operated a price fixing cartel from 1997 to 2011, during which time some 10 million trucks were sold across the EU and that each one may have been overpriced by up to £10,000.

A sixth manufacturer, Scania, has since been named as being involved.

London firm Edwin Coe is leading the lawsuit for 27 companies that were affected by the price fixing.

So far claimants include: “Well-known high street names, a supermarket retailer and a range of major regional brewers.”

At least two brewers that were affected were named, Suffolk-based Adnams and London-based Fuller’s.

In a statement to the drinks business, a spokesperson for Fuller’s said: “I can confirm that Fuller’s is part of a group action involving a total of 27 companies. It is ongoing and we cannot comment further at this time.”

Adnams added: “We are one of the claimants involved in this case. We have purchased vehicles from these companies at prices that were being fixed. It appears that we should have been paying less and have consequently suffered a loss. We are merely asking for that loss to be made good. We estimate that the number of vehicles that we purchased in the period which may have been affected by the price fixing is in the region of 30.”