Times Of Swaziland: COMESA TARGETS COCA-COLA IN ANTI-COMPETITIVE PROBE

COMESA TARGETS COCA-COLA IN ANTI-COMPETITIVE PROBE
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Nhlanganiso Mkhonta on 17/10/2024 14:38:00


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.