Israel's Central Bottling Company Hit with Additional Fine Over NIS 1.5 Million

The Competition Commissioner in Israel has published a notice for public comment regarding an additional fine for Central Bottling Company Ltd.

The company, which holds exclusive franchise rights to Coca-Cola and various beer brands like Tuborg and Carlsberg in Israel, will pay over NIS 1.5 million to the State Treasury on top of its existing NIS 18 million fine imposed earlier this year.

This additional fine stems from individual violations of the Law for Promotion of Competition in the Food and Pharm Sectors, specifically regarding recommended retail prices for soft drinks manufactured by Central Bottling Company in food chains.

The Commissioner initially excluded these violations to examine whether they breached instructions for a monopoly holder, which Central Bottling Company was declared as part of its 1998 declaration. After examination, no breach was found, and the company agreed to sanctions for violating the Food Law regarding these specific violations.