A PYMNTS Company

Indonesia: Danone fined US$1 million for unfair business practices

By  |  December 20, 2017

Indonesia’s anti-monopoly agency has imposed a US$1 million fine on bottled water producer PT Tirta Investama, which is affiliated to French firm Danone, for resorting to unfair business competition practices.

The Indonesian Business Competition Supervisory Commission said it found PT Tirta Investama and PT Balina Agung Perkasa, a distributor of mineral water Danone-Aqua, punished two sub-distributors in 2016 for selling a rival product.

The agency said it had fined Tirta Investama 13.85 billion rupiah (US$1 million) and Balina Agung 6.29 billion rupiah(US$463,454).

Aqua is the biggest bottled water brand in Indonesia. It competes with products owned by PT Indofood Sukses Makmur and PT Mayora Indah, among others.

Tirta Investama, in a separate statement, said it was disappointed with the decision and was studying its options regarding the ruling.

“We express our disappointment in particular because the facts, experts opinions and evidences presented during the tribunal proceedings made clear that the action in debate was by an individual, not by the company,” it said.

Full Content: Jakarta Globe

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.