An unusual number of global cartels fixing prices on lysine, vitamins, graphite electrodes, sorbates, sodium gluconate, construction, computer memory chips, marine construction, and citric acid have been criminally prosecuted.
The cartel fixed the prices of LCD panels that were sold either alone or in televisions, computers and notebook devices.
Interestingly, as recounted by Connor [7], a global citric acid cartel fixed prices for decades.
Problem two: In 1996, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani broke the private cartels that fixed prices on restaurant-garbage pickups.
Joaquín Almunia, the European competition commissioner, imposed fines totaling almost 1.5 billion euros, or $1.96 billion, on seven companies involved in two cartels that fixed the price of picture and display tubes for televisions and computer screens.
[World Business, Section W.] Vitamin Producers Fined in Europe The European Commission fined eight vitamin producers a total of about $752 million for their involvement in cartels that fixed prices and market shares of vitamin products in the 1990's.
The European Commission fined eight vitamin producers a total of just over 855 million euros ($752 million) today for involvement in a number of cartels that fixed prices and market shares of vitamin products in the 1990's.
The biggest previous fine imposed by the commission was 462 million euros, or about $406 million at the exchange rate at that time, against Roche of Switzerland in 2001 for its role in several cartels that fixed prices and market shares of vitamin products in the 1990's.
Last week Dairy Crest was named by the Office of Fair Trading as part of an alleged cartel that fixed the price of milk, butter and cheese between 2002 and 2003.
The European Commission fined four chemical companies a total of 138.4 million euros ($161 million) for participating in a cartel that fixed the price of sorbates, a food additive, over 17 years ending in 1996.
