Five months after searches of the company’s headquarters in Salzburg’s Fuschl am See and several European branches, energy drink manufacturer Red Bull has now filed a lawsuit against EU competition authorities. The complaint states that the allegations of anti-competitive conduct are “manifestly baseless”.
The EU competition watchdog’s visit to Red Bull in March apparently had something to do with the company’s market power. According to a report by specialist service MLex, the allegations centered on Red Bull’s dealings with retailers and the fact that the company may have sought favorable treatment for its own drinks at the expense of its competitors.
Red Bull, which later confirmed the searches, has now asked the second highest European court to annul the Commission’s decision to order the searches and to return all documents seized from the company.
“The Commission, at the time of its decision, did not appear to have sufficient evidence of anti-competitive behavior to warrant an investigation,” Red Bull said in its complaint before the Luxembourg court. The company also criticized the EU competition authority’s indefinite search of its Brussels offices as “improper interference” with the company’s rights.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
