• Were the prices of Oltens bathroom equipment products determined by collusion?
• The President of UOKiK has initiated antitrust proceedings against Oltens 1 and two of the company’s managers.
• The effect of the suspected collusion may have been that consumers were unable to purchase products at lower prices.

Among other things, Oltens 1 is engaged in the wholesale of Oltens brand sanitary ware, including bathroom and kitchen faucets, toilets, sinks and bathtubs. Retail sales of Oltens products are conducted through Oltens 1’s subsidiary, Łazienkaplus.pl, as well as through independent distributors. They sell products in a stationary or hybrid manner, that is, in traditional or online stores. Information gathered by the President of UOKiK shows that the company was able to fix the prices of Oltens products online together with independent sellers for several years. They could not be lower than the price lists provided by the wholesaler. Arrangements may have included promotional sales.

Oltens 1 monitored whether retailers were charging set prices and could intervene if they sold products at lower prices, or even if they offered free delivery. The first stage of discipline involved telephone calls. Subsequently, trading partners may have been denied the opportunity to order goods. There may also have been cases of termination of the cooperation agreement. The retailers themselves were also able to observe one another’s prices and ask Oltens 1 to intervene if any of them did not comply with the arrangements.

- The effect of the suspected collusion may have been that consumers were unable to purchase Oltens products at lower prices. That’s why I brought charges against Oltens 1 and two of its managers. The company faces a penalty of up to 10 percent of its annual turnover, and the maximum sanction for managers is PLN 2 million, says the President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny.

Severe penalties for participation in collusion can be avoided by taking advantage of the leniency scheme. It offers businesses involved in an illegal agreement and managers responsible for entering into a price-fixing arrangement an opportunity to reduce a sanction or, in some cases, avoid it altogether. It is intended for those who agree to cooperate with the President of UOKiK as a “crown witness” and provide evidence or information regarding the existence of a prohibited agreement. We encourage the parties interested in the leniency scheme to contact UOKiK at a dedicated phone number 22 55 60 555. UOKiK staff will answer any questions about the leniency programme, including anonymous ones.

We would also like to remind you that we operate a programme to obtain information from anonymous whistleblowers. Do you wish to inform UOKiK about competition restricting practices? Visit https://uokik.whiblo.pl/ or scan the QR code below and use the simple form. The system we use guarantees full anonymity, including vis-a-vis UOKiK itself.