Luxembourg fines cookie cartel

German biscuit maker Bahlsen and supermarket chains Cactus, Auchan and Delhaize will have to pay a €3.35 million fine between them for illegally agreeing on the prices of cakes, cookies and nuts.

Shoppers paid higher prices than would otherwise would have been the case between 2011 and 2015, Luxembourg's anti-trust regulator, the Conseil de la Concurrence said on Monday.

Price fixing is illegal, and the watchdog ordered Bahlsen to pay €1.5 million, while Luxembourg retailer Cactus, who sold the most of the company’s products will pay €1.3 million. French supermarket chain Auchan was fined €246,000 and Belgium's Delhaize €223,000.

The companies can still appeal the decision, the regulator said.

Get the Luxembourg Times delivered to your inbox twice a day. Sign up for your free newsletters here.