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EU Court Upholds Red Bull Dawn Raids in Antitrust Probe

By  |  October 15, 2025

Red Bull has failed in its legal challenge against the European Commission’s surprise inspections, after the European Union’s General Court ruled Wednesday that regulators had sufficient grounds to investigate potential antitrust violations, according to a Courthouse News report.

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    The inspections, which took place in March 2023 across Red Bull offices in Austria, France, and the Netherlands, stemmed from suspicions that the energy drink giant may have abused its market dominance. Red Bull argued the raids were an overreach, calling them an unjustified “fishing expedition.” But the judges rejected that claim, finding the Commission’s actions both lawful and properly substantiated.

    The court’s ruling pointed to a 2022 complaint from one of Red Bull’s competitors, which accused the company of using financial incentives to pressure retailers into dropping rival brands, per Courthouse News. The complaint also alleged that Red Bull had organized a negative campaign against large-can energy drinks and coordinated through an industry group, Energy Drinks Europe, to limit the sale of cans over 250 milliliters.

    Those allegations prompted the European Commission to open an investigation code-named “WINGS.” Over several days of inspections, officials reviewed company communications and internal documents to determine whether Red Bull’s practices influenced market competition or coordinated pricing.

    Related: Red Bull Challenges EU Commission Over Lengthy Antitrust Inspection

    In its legal challenge, Red Bull contended that the Commission’s inspection order was overly broad and lacked specific focus, arguing that the use of vague terms left too much room for interpretation. However, the court disagreed, emphasizing that the Commission only needed reasonable suspicion—not definitive proof—of possible wrongdoing to justify the raids, according to Courthouse News.

    The judges further noted that the Commission had already gathered substantial evidence, including emails, call records, and written statements, before initiating the raids. They stated that the clues should be assessed collectively, as they may reinforce each other in suggesting a possible infringement.

    Red Bull also questioned the nature of the Commission’s suspicions, asking whether the investigation concerned an “abusive but not secret cooperation” or a “secret cartel-style agreement.” The court dismissed that distinction as unnecessary at the preliminary stage of an inquiry.

    Ultimately, the court upheld the Commission’s actions, finding that the dawn raids were based on credible evidence rather than arbitrary suspicion.

    Source: Courthouse News