Beer giant Carlsberg has launched a claim against rival Heineken alleging anti-competitive behaviour and is seeking £250 million in compensation.
The action was launched over practices in the Greek beer market, where Carlsberg‘s Mythos Brewery has a market share in Greece of 12%-15%, compared to Heineken’s Athenian Brewery of 70%.
Confirmation that Carlsberg had launched an action against Heineken came in an Amsterdam court hearing in March, in which it revealed that Macedonian Thrace Brewery (MTB), another brewer in the Greek market, is also suing Heineken.
MTB, which has 5 per cent of the market in Greece, is seeking €100 million (£85 million) compensation from the Dutch firm for anti-competitive behaviour by monopolising the Greek market.
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A lawyer representing MTB in the Amsterdam court, said: “You may be aware that another party, Carlsberg, is also seeking compensation for substantial damages.”
Carlsberg, the world’s third biggest beer producer, and Heineken, the second biggest brewer, have never directly acknowledged that they are in litigation over issues related to the Greek market.
Given that Carlsberg’s Mythos Brewery has a share of the Greek beer market that is three times that of MTB’s, the amount of compensation from Heineken’s Athenian Brewery is expected to exceed €300 million (£255 million).
MTB’s director of business development, Demetri Chriss, added: “Capitalism without competition is exploitation, what Heineken is doing is best described as bullying tactics.”
He goes on to say that Heineken, through its Athenian Brewery subsidiary, “had been illegally distorting the Greek beer market while protecting the supremacy it wields, by coercing and intimidating distributors, retailers and wholesalers, and ultimately ripping off consumers.”
Both Carlsberg and Heineken declined to comment on MTB’s attempt to seek damages.
This news comes as Heineken UK was fined £2 million for having “seriously and reportedly breached” competition rules for pub operators in 2020.
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