The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine on Oct. 10 imposed a fine of 6.5 billion Ukrainian hryvnia on four cigarette manufacturers and a distributor for anti-competitive actions, news agency Interfax Ukraine reported Oct. 10.
The Ukrainian subsidiaries of tobacco companies Japan Tobacco Inc., British American Tobacco PLC, Philip Morris International Inc. and Imperial Brands PLC, along with distributor TEDIS Ukraine, allegedly violated the law on the protection of economic competition.
The committee said the companies cooperated with the sole and common distributor for all cigarette-makers in the primary market, which resulted in the creation and maintenance of artificial barriers that prevented other businesses from entering the market.
As of Oct. 10, US$1 was equivalent to 24.60 Ukrainian hryvnia.
