McDonald’s Accused of Inflating Prices in France, Italy, and Germany

McDonald’s was hit with three major antitrust complaints Tuesday filed with authorities in France, Germany, and Italy, charging the fast-food giant with widespread abuse of its dominant market position throughout Europe.

The complaints outline McDonald’s systemic efforts to suppress competition through restrictive contracts that impose exorbitant rent costs on its franchisees, as well as rigid price fixing schemes that control resale prices at its franchised stores.

The complaints cite evidence showing that these anticompetitive practices ultimately harm consumers by significantly inflating prices at McDonald’s franchised stores across the three countries.

If found guilty, McDonald’s could face potentially severe penalties for the violations detailed in the complaints, including fines in each of the three countries ranging up to 10 percent of the company’s global revenue.

France:

Agefi: http://www.agefi.fr/corporate/actualites/quotidien/20170404/pratiques-franchises-mcdonald-s-sont-visees-en-215394

L’Usine Nouvelle (Reuters): http://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/plaintes-en-europe-sur-les-pratiques-de-franchise-de-mcdonald-s.N523499

La Tribune (AFP and Reuters) http://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/agroalimentaire-biens-de-consommation-luxe/mcdonald-s-accuse-de-manipulation-des-prix-devant-plusieurs-autorites-de-la-concurrence-en-europe-679160.html

Société: http://www.societe.com/actualites/enquetes_sur_les_prix_des_restaurants_mcdonald_s-16716.html

Force Ouvrière: http://www.force-ouvriere.fr/focus-sur-mcdonald-s-un-exemple-de-pratiques-abusives-dans-la

24 Matins: http://www.24matins.fr/mcdonalds-attaque-europe-pratiques-anticoncurrentielles-508440

Economie Matin: http://www.economiematin.fr/news-mcdonald-prix-restaurant-difference-concurrence-franchise-maison-mere-accusation

Radins: http://news.radins.com/actualites/mcdonal-s-les-prix-varient-selon-les-restaurants,34209.html

Boursier: http://www.boursier.com/actualites/economie/mcdonalds-accuse-de-forcer-sur-les-prix-dans-ses-restaurants-franchises-35373.html

Journal de l’économie : http://www.journaldeleconomie.fr/Les-franchises-McDonald-s-seraient-obliges-d-augmenter-leur-prix_a4596.html

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