COMESA TARGETS COCA-COLA IN ANTI-COMPETITIVE PROBE

MBABANE - The COMESA Competition Commission has launched an investigation into alleged anti-competitive conduct by the Coca-Cola company.

This was revealed in a statement on Monday by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa(COMESA) Competition Commission’s Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Willard Mwemba. Mwemba claimed that the Commission “has reason to believe” that Coca-Cola and affiliates in Africa had concluded restrictive bottlers and distribution agreements, which may sabotage trade between member States.

ollowing this, COMESA has stated that it will evaluate the conduct of the company to ascertain its effects in the common market and apply appropriate measures, in line with the commission’s regulations. “Article 16 of the regulations prohibits all agreements which may affect trade between member States and have as their object, or effect, the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition in the common market,” the statement read.

Investigation

Mwemba has however highlighted that the commencement of the investigation does not presuppose that the conduct under investigation has yet been determined as anti-competitive nor has the company violated the regulation. “The commission will by the provisions of part 3 of the regulations, conduct an inquiry to determine whether the alleged conduct has, as its object or effect, the prevention, restriction of competition in the common market or in a substantial part of it,” it stated. Interested stakeholders have thus been invited to submit written representations by November 14, 2024.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: