Erli Accuses Allegro of Abusing Market Power in New Legal Battle

Erli argues that Allegro’s promotional and incentive schemes are structured in a way that discourages sellers from offering cheaper prices outside Allegro’s marketplace. Per Reuters, Erli believes this practice effectively ties merchants to Allegro’s pricing expectations, limiting fair competition and hurting smaller platforms trying to attract customers with lower prices.

Allegro, which is Poland’s biggest e-commerce company, has rejected those accusations. In comments sent to Reuters, the company said the lawsuit focuses on optional benefit programs it offers to merchants, including initiatives that help subsidize discounts or promote products. Allegro maintains these programs are voluntary and that sellers remain free to decide how they price goods across all sales channels.

The conflict between the two firms has also spilled into separate legal proceedings. According to a Reuters account, Allegro took Erli to court earlier this year, alleging that Erli unlawfully copied product listings from Allegro’s website, including photos and product descriptions. A court sided with Allegro at least on a preliminary basis, issuing an order that restricted Erli from continuing those practices and required corrective actions.

Per Reuters, Allegro said the court also imposed financial penalties to ensure compliance with the ruling, though it claims Erli has yet to fully follow the court’s instructions. That case remains another point of friction between the two competitors, adding to the broader battle over market conduct and platform practices.

At the heart of the current lawsuit is Allegro’s system of promotions, which Erli says can be withdrawn from sellers who list their products at lower prices on rival websites. Erli contends that losing benefits such as shared discounts or advertising support amounts to a form of punishment that limits genuine price competition, according to a Reuters report.

Erli has said the lawsuit is not aimed at securing monetary damages but rather at changing what it views as unfair behavior. The company’s chief executive, Adam Ciesielczyk, said in a statement cited by Reuters that the objective is to allow sellers to operate independently without being pressured by the rules of a dominant platform.

The case highlights the growing tensions in Poland’s fast-expanding e-commerce sector, where large platforms and smaller challengers are increasingly clashing over how digital marketplaces should be run.

Source: Reuters