Danish Furniture Brand Hübsch Fined €670,000 in Price-Fixing Case

The settlement follows an investigation by the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority into communications between the two furniture and home furnishings businesses. The companies discussed how to recover escalating transportation expenses from customers, including the possibility of applying an additional pandemic-related charge to orders, InteriorDaily reported.

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The arrangement was found to breach Denmark’s Competition Act, which prohibits agreements between competitors that restrict competition. The case was resolved at Denmark’s Maritime and Commercial Court, where Hübsch accepted the penalty and acknowledged its involvement in the unlawful conduct.

According to InteriorDaily, evidence examined during the investigation included an internal email indicating that Hübsch’s director at the time wanted the pricing arrangement to remain confidential. The communication raised concerns about drawing attention to the discussions between the competing businesses.

The case centers on commercial decisions made during the pandemic, when disruptions to international supply chains and higher freight costs placed significant financial pressure on furniture manufacturers and distributors.

Although businesses were confronting similar increases in operating expenses, coordination between competitors over how those costs would be passed on to customers raised concerns under Danish competition law.

The investigation highlights the legal distinction between companies independently adjusting prices in response to market conditions and competing businesses coordinating their pricing strategies.