The Office for Competition and Consumer Protection initiated proceedings against Allegro. A popular sales platform is accused of using competitive advantage. The spectacular and media-based entry to Allegro headquarters is to show that the Collective Responsibility Act is working.
The demonstration search of the giant's sales premises was linked in media transmission to the Collective Responsibility Act and was used to invite signalers to use the platform on which they could report unfair practices, including market collusion.
Allegro is accused of using a dominant position, with UOIKiK's press release showing that the investigation has taken place not because of the announcement of the signalers but because of the dissatisfied cooperation with the business platform.
Allegro sellers complain that their products are displayed Next,, After the proposals of the Official Allegro Shop. From this angle, the computers accused in search of aptness algorithm were tested to favor product search phrases, hinting at those belonging to the platform store.
Signals or whistleblowers are to stand by values. Their actions should have nothing to do with show searches of company headquarters. Irregularities reported should be checked each time but not in such a way as to affect the position of the company reported
- Allegro's actions could negatively affect the competitive situation of independent online shops whose products could be less visible on the platform compared to Allegro's own offers. Consequently, the products of independent sellers could be less often chosen by buyers – says CEO Marek Niedy.
The application of restrictive practices is subject to a financial penalty to 10% turnover. According to the Authority, Allegro's practice may have had an impact on trade between EU countries, which is why the UOKiK conducts proceedings in connection with both the breach of Polish and EU regulations.
A smooth transition from the description of the alleged Allegro practices and the Authority's actions to reduce them is the media invitation to participate in the system to signal irregularities in the field of antitrust activities. We have doubts whether this kind of action will actually encourage signaling.
Meanwhile, the culture of reporting irregularities, the so-called Whistleblowing – if properly run by the government – is a good tool for improving business quality. It functions in many democratic countries, such as Sweden and Austria, not only at collective level.
The Signaller shall be a person who has information not available to the public which may be used to detect an infringement.
It may be an employee or a former employee who knows that his employer has made a collusion with another trader or a commercial representative disciplined in order to implement the arrangements for territorial market division. Signals or whistleblowers are to stand by values.
Their actions should have nothing to do with show searches of company headquarters. Irregularities reported should be checked each time, but not in a way that can affect the position of the notified company.
Author: Katarzyna Kołbuś
Editor leading RB Magazine. From Over 10 years related to industry press, including the Financial Gazette and portal ipip.com.pl, which is devoted to finance, taxation, law, politics and the economy. She graduated from Polish philology at the UMCS and the linguistic text editing at the University of Warsaw