In the decision of the Competition Authority No. 27/2008 from 23 April 2008, it was, inter alia, concluded that Fiskmarkaður Íslands hf. (FÍ) had abused its dominant market position by tying the purchase of fish with its gutting service, thereby distorting competition in the auction market for fishery products. Buyers of fish at the fish market were forced to purchase a cutting service they had not requested on unslaughtered fish they had bought at the market. This distorted the normal competition in the auction market for fishery products. Furthermore, the conduct of Fiskmarkaður Íslands also had anti-competitive effects on the gutting market, as the fish purchased by buyers un-gutted was gutted in Fiskmarkaður Íslands' gutting service. The company's competitors in the gutting market therefore did not have the opportunity to bid for the gutting of that fish. Furthermore, buyers of fish from companies that also provide gutting services were unable to gut the fish they had purchased themselves. Fiskmarkaður Íslands was fined ten million krónur for the infringement.
Fiskmarkaður Íslands hf. appealed the case to the Competition Appeals Board. In its ruling, the Competition Appeals Board confirms the Competition Authority's definition of the market in question. It also confirms the authority's finding that Fiskmarkaður Íslands hf. was dominant on that market. Furthermore, the appeal board confirmed that the company's intertwining of fish purchasing and processing constituted an abuse of its dominant market position. The Appeals Board considered that fines of seven million krónur were appropriately determined. The ruling can be accessed here.
Decision No. 8/2008.
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