Chile: Walmart Manager denies price-fixing agreement

Juan Carlos Gosen, Manager of Food, Consumers and Pets for Walmart Chile, spoke as a witness during the hard-hitting price-fixing trial that has occupied Chile’s competition authorities over the past few months. Mr Gosen claimed that his company’s relationship with poultry suppliers had been limited to organizing sales and promotions. Never, he said, had Walmart had access to information regarding the competition’s costs.

Gosen – with the company since 2000- declared that dealings with suppliers were limited to negotiating several options for offering promotions. This goes against the Competition Authority’s claim that Walmart, along with the Cencosud and SMU supermarket chains, had used their contact with poultry suppliers to coordinate a minimum sale price for the product.

In cross-examination by the FNE’s economic prosecutor, Gosen declared “I never had any relationship with the poultry section during my professional career.” The official claimed that over the 16 years he has been involved with Walmart Chile he worked in the groceries, detergents and drinks departments. Gosen’s computer, along with other officials’ were seized by the authorities during the investigation.

Full Content: Economía y Negocios

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