Riyadh, December 29, 2025 — The Saudi GAC has imposed fines of SAR 36.9 million (approximately $9.8 million) on 13 companies after finding coordinated price-setting conduct in several sectors, including waste management, food retail, healthcare, advertising, and retail services.
The authority said it concluded five cases involving violations of Article 5 of the Competition Law, which prohibits agreements or practices that directly or indirectly affect prices. The infringements involved both explicit and implicit coordination aimed at influencing selling prices, service fees, or commercial terms.
Price Coordination Findings
According to the GAC, the sanctioned conduct included agreements to fix or influence prices of goods and services, as well as related sales and purchasing conditions. The authority said the practices distorted market dynamics and restricted fair pricing mechanisms.
The violations were confirmed following investigations and enforcement actions approved by the GAC’s board. Most of the cases were referred to the Competition Law Violations Committee, except for companies that opted for settlement under Article 23 of the law.
Fines by Sector
The penalties covered a wide range of economic activities, with the highest fines imposed in waste management and advertising services. Individual fines ranged from SAR 1,388 to SAR 10 million, depending on the nature and duration of the conduct.
The largest penalties included:
- SAR 10 million against a waste collection and recycling company.
- SAR 7.1 million and SAR 5.5 million against companies operating in advertising and media services.
- SAR 3.8 million and SAR 1.8 million against firms in the healthcare sector.
Smaller fines were imposed on companies active in food retail, consumer goods and commercial services.
Enforcement and Compliance
The GAC said all decisions are final and enforceable. It reiterated its commitment to enforcing the Competition Law, promoting lawful business conduct, and safeguarding consumer choice through transparent and competitive markets.
