The EU inflicts two meal supply corporations a nice of 329 million euros | EUROtoday

On Jun 3, 2025

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L’Addition is critical for Delivery Hero and Glovo, the 2 house dishes supply corporations: a nice of 329 million euros imposed by the European Commission for “non-discharge” of workers. A primary.

According to Teresa Ribera, the brand new competitors commissioner, “it is important to show to what extent, in the context of mergers, the minority position can give access to very sensitive information that affects competition”.

A trio of offenses to make pale

It all begins in July 2018, when Delivery Hero, the German large of supply situated in almost 70 international locations (however not in France), crunches a minority participation in Glovo, its small Barcelona competitor. An operation that might have gone unnoticed as it’s banal. Except that this “simple” fairness funding will rapidly flip to vinegar.

Alerted by an nameless whistleblower, the investigators uncover that the capital relationship goes far past. “This participation provided two companies with a channel to coordinate their operations and strategies,” says Teresa Ribera. Far from being content material to alternate the knowledge essential for the safety of funding, the 2 teams conform to share the market.

Read too Competitiveness: the final likelihood plan for the EUFirst downside: non-enhancement agreements. The two corporations agree in order to not fly their greatest workers. A apply that Commissioner Ribera stamps as a “purchasing cartel on the job market”. Clearly, as an alternative of combating on wages to draw the most effective abilities, the 2 teams get alongside to maintain their arms of their pockets.

Second downside: the alternate of ultra-confidential data. Current value, future value, business methods … The full menu goes to the desk. “Instead of competing in uncertainty about their respective behaviors, the two companies have chosen to stay in a comfort zone without incentive to improve the quality or prices of their services,” summarizes the competitors commissioner.

Third downside: market sharing. Delivery Hero performs its shareholder standing to persuade Glovo to not compete by every reserving their market. Germany for one, Spain for the opposite.

“A high level of workers’ protection”

Delivery Hero acquired 223 million euros, glovo that of 106 million. A distribution that displays the dimensions of the 2 dishes. The two teams performed, however admitted their fault and accepted a transaction process, which avoids them 10 % further nice. This mea culpa permits Brussels to finish the case in 4 years, from the preliminary whistle in 2022 to the ultimate purple card.

Read too In Brussels, a “compass of competitiveness” which is lacking the northDelivery Hero crossed a big course in 2023 by reaching operational profitability after years of losses, with a turnover of virtually 10 billion euros. The nice is definitely vital however not insurmountable for a bunch which now generates earnings.

To uncover

The kangaroo of the day

Answer

Beyond the figures, this affair vegetation the flag of the brand new commissioner. Teresa Ribera, who sharpened her blades in ecology earlier than touchdown on rue de la Law, in Brussels, desires to point out that Europe protects customers as a lot as staff. “We Europeans can be proud because we have a high level of workers’ protection,” she mentioned. We don’t wish to be aggressive by launching a degree of leveling from beneath. »»

This case can be a warning of digital platforms. No extra time when a minority participation made it doable to navigate in troubled waters underneath the competitors radar! “Having participation in a competitor is not illegal. But this can become radioactive when this participation is used to obtain privileged information, ”warns the commissioner with a menace. However, in European tech, cross -participations are commonplace.

https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/entente-illicite-l-ue-inflige-a-deux-societes-de-livraison-de-repas-une-amende-de-329-millions-d-euros-03-06-2025-2591104_24.php