Supermarkets must pay a multimillion pound fine for ripping off smokers in collusion with Gallaher, the tobacco company, it was announced yesterday.
Asda and Somerfield have admitted fixing the price of cigarettes and overcharging customers under a secret deal with the manufacturer of brands including Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut. The Office of Fair Trading said that a total of £173.3 million in fines and costs had been agreed in one of the biggest settlements of its kind.
Other firms that admitted colluding in the pricing scam include the owner of Threshers, the off-licence chain, and One Stop convenience stores, which must contribute towards the settlement. But the lion’s share of the fine — £93 million — will be paid by Gallaher, owned by Japan Tobacco.
The OFT has been investigating an alleged price-fixing cartel in Britain’s £15 billion-a-year market for cigarettes and rolling tobacco for five years. In April it announced that 11 companies were suspected of swapping price information and linking prices with rival brands between 2000 and 2003.
Supermarkets and tobacco firm are fined £173m for price fixing - Times Online 