The Dutch consumer authority ACM has warned dog food suppliers to stop forcing pet shops to maintain their recommended prices, stating that it is up to retailers to decide what to charge.

“Shopkeepers must be independent in choosing the price of the goods they sell in their shops or online,” chairman Martijn Snoep said on Monday. “Suppliers must not exert any pressure on shopkeepers to raise consumer prices.”

Dog owners, he said, want the best for their pets and suppliers are taking advantage of this.

Companies that fail to give shopkeepers a free hand face a fine of up to €900,000 or 40% of their turnover for price-fixing, and so far, nine firms have been given a formal warning, the ACM said.

The ACM said suppliers should stop “reminding” shopkeepers about the recommended prices and threatening to cut them off unless they comply. Nor should they treat shopkeepers who do keep to the agreed price range any differently from those who don’t.

The agency said it is closely monitoring the companies concerned to ensure they comply with regulations from now on.