AGCM launches antitrust probe in Italy

Italy’s competition and market watchdog AGCM has launched an antitrust investigation against major producers of corrugated sheets and corrugated packaging in Italy and the industry association GIFCO for alleged market manipulation and price fixing in the period between 2015 and 2016 in Italy, according to Euwid. Last Friday, offices were searched and inspected in a series of raid.

According to AGCM, the companies under investigation are DS Smith Packaging Italia, Smurfit Kappa Italia, International Paper Italia, Pro-Gest among others. The companies involved are all vertically integrated corrugated board and corrugated box manufacturers.

The companies involved in the alleged corrugated cartel were supposedly colluding on fixing prices as well as on quality and variety of products, according to AGCM.