UK’s Tesco Sues Norwegian Salmon Producers Over Alleged Price Fixing

Tesco, the United Kingdom’s largest retailer, has launched an antitrust lawsuit against eight Norwegian salmon producers, accusing them of engaging in price-fixing practices. The lawsuit, filed on 18 February 2025 in the High Court in London, targets several key players in the Norwegian salmon industry.

According to the filing, the named defendants include Cermaq Group, Lerøy Seafood Group, Scottish Sea Farms, Bremnes Seashore, Grieg Seafood, Grieg Seafood UK, SalMar, and Sjór. Additionally, Tesco’s subsidiaries—Booker, Booker Direct, Budgens Stores, Booker Retail Partners (GB), and Marko Self Service Wholesalers—are listed as claimants in the suit.

The Norwegian salmon industry has faced allegations of price fixing for several years. According to a statement, multiple lawsuits were filed in 2024 by retailers and consumers, citing significant financial damages. However, Tesco previously chose not to join a similar legal action initiated in March 2024 by several other major UK retailers. That lawsuit accused six Norwegian salmon producers of price manipulation, linking their actions to estimated losses of GBP 675 million (USD 853 million, EUR 816 million).

Beyond retailer-driven lawsuits, legal challenges on behalf of UK consumers have also emerged. A pending class-action lawsuit seeks GBP 382 million (USD 483 million, EUR 462 million) in damages for alleged price-fixing activities that took place between 2015 and 2019. According to a statement released by Waterside Class Limited, the company leading the class-action case, retailers passed inflated salmon prices onto consumers, meaning that “much of the damage caused by alleged price fixing has ultimately been suffered by consumers rather than retailers.”

The legal actions coincide with ongoing scrutiny from European regulators. Last year, the European Commission (E.C.) intensified its investigation into price-fixing allegations involving Cermaq, Grieg Seafood, Bremnes, Lerøy, Mowi, and SalMar. In January 2024, the E.C. expressed concerns that, between 2011 and 2019, Norwegian salmon producers exchanged commercially sensitive information regarding prices, sales volumes, production levels, and other key market factors. According to a statement from the trade watchdog, “the suspected aim of this alleged conduct was to reduce normal uncertainty in the market for spot sales of Norwegian farmed Atlantic salmon to the E.U.”

With Tesco’s new lawsuit adding to the growing legal challenges against Norwegian salmon producers, the industry faces mounting pressure from both regulatory bodies and affected businesses.

Source: Sea Food Source