April 3, 2025 — The Czech Office for the Protection of Competition has fined Miroslav Weber, a distributor of dog and cat food, CZK 2,766,000 (approximately $119,000) for engaging in illegal resale price maintenance.
According to the authority, Weber — who operates both an online shop and several retail outlets — had been setting minimum retail prices for the traders he supplied since at least early 2019. He enforced these price levels by monitoring compliance and pressuring traders to raise their prices to the mandated minimums, sometimes imposing sanctions on those who failed to comply.
This conduct constituted a prohibited vertical price-fixing agreement under Czech competition law, distorting competition in the market for pet food sales to end consumers.
In determining the fine, the Office considered several mitigating factors: Weber’s relatively small market power, the limited impact on consumers, the duration of the anti-competitive behavior, and Weber’s voluntary steps to end the unlawful practices. Weber also proactively informed his customers that they were free to set their own retail prices, fully cooperated with the investigation, and implemented a competition compliance program to prevent future violations.
By meeting all conditions for a settlement and choosing not to appeal, Weber secured a reduction in the final penalty to CZK 2,766,000 ($119,000).
This marks the seventh case of illegal vertical agreements sanctioned in the Czech pet food sector over the past three years. The Office emphasized that its interventions aim to restore genuine price competition among sellers — a change expected to benefit pet owners through lower prices.
