THE WHAT? Finnish authorities have proposed fines against four wild berry companies after uncovering a long-running cartel involving coordinated berry purchasing prices and market information sharing.
THE DETAILS Finland’s Competition and Consumer Authority said the companies coordinated wild berry purchase prices and exchanged commercially sensitive market information through phone calls, text messages and WhatsApp between 2013 and 2023. Authorities are seeking approximately €9.4 million in fines against Arctic International Oy, Kaskein Marja Oy, Marja Bothnia Berries Oy and Polarica AB. A fifth company, Kiantama Oy, avoided penalties after cooperating with investigators. Wild blueberries, lingonberries and cloudberries are key raw materials used across Finland’s food, beverage and cosmetics industries due to their antioxidant and health-related properties. The sector has also faced growing scrutiny over labour practices involving seasonal berry pickers travelling from Thailand.
THE WHY? The case reflects increasing regulatory oversight of supply chain transparency, competition practices and ethical sourcing standards within industries reliant on natural ingredients, including cosmetics and wellness products.
Source: Bloomberg
