DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

24 July 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Politics
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Cigarette firms fined €82m for price fixing, judge rejects gagging order

September 29, 2020
Photo: DutchNews.nl
Photo: DutchNews.nl

The Dutch consumers and markets authority ACM has fined four cigarette manufacturers a total of €82m for price fixing between July 2008 and July 2011.

The agency says the four companies – British American Tobacco, JTI, Philip Morris Benelux and Van Nelle Tabak – illegally exchanged information about the future price of cigarettes, so they could adjust their own prices.

The information allowed manufacturers to adjust their prices to their competitors’ prices in advance, said ACM director Martijn Snoep in a press statement.

‘That distorts competition. The manufacturers knew that exchanging this type of information was at odds with competition rules. However, that did not lead to changes in their behaviour.’

In one email, a JTI employee wrote in an e-mail to a cigarette wholesaler: ‘Attached is BAT’s price list. As soon as you receive ITN and PMI, please forward them to me immediately.’

In another JTI email quoted by the ACM, an employee wrote: ‘BAT, PMI and ITN now confirmed an RSP [ACM: resale price] increase per mid 2009 of €0.10 on their total portfolio effective as of August/September. We recommend increasing our entire portfolio by €0.10 as of September 2009 improving our profitability.’

All four companies have filed objections to the fines, the biggest of which went to BAT (€31m). Three of them had also gone to court in an effort to stop publication of the ACM’s decision, but that request was turned down by a court in Rotterdam.

Read the full statement, in English

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Economy
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Trump administration warns indirectly over Schiphol flight cap
No debate on Gaza as Dutch MPs refuse to come back from holiday
Russia suspected of hacking Dutch prosecution service systems
NS wants to arm staff with batons after rise in violence
Dutch start-ups attract strong investment as Europe slows
NewsHomeEconomyPoliticsArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now