Skip to main content
BoF Logo

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Online Retailers Thwarted by Manufacturers’ Curbs, EU Says

More than two in five retailers face some sort of price recommendation or restriction from manufacturers, the European Commission said.
Shopping online | Source: Shutterstock
By
  • Bloomberg

BRUSSELS, Belgium — European Union antitrust watchdogs warned they may probe online sales curbs after finding that manufacturers across the bloc impose limits on how websites sell and how much they can charge.

"It may become necessary for the commission to scrutinise certain clauses restricting online sales," European Union antitrust regulators said in its first report from an investigation into web sales.

More than two in five retailers face some sort of price recommendation or restriction from manufacturers, the European Commission said. Online sites can also be stopped from selling on online marketplaces, such as those run by Amazon.com Inc. or EBay Inc., or prevented from sending offers to price comparison websites, according to the report.

The digital economy is a focus for EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, who is investigating Alphabet Inc.’s Google over an online shopping search tool, phone software and advertising. She is probing Hollywood studios over restrictive contracts with pay-TV provider Sky Plc that may block sales outside the UK and has also cited concerns over how companies increasingly collect and use vast amounts of data.

By Aoife White; editors: Anthony Aarons and Peter Chapman.

In This Article

© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from News & Analysis
Fashion News, Analysis and Business Intelligence from the leading digital authority on the global fashion industry.
view more

Subscribe to the BoF Daily Digest

The essential daily round-up of fashion news, analysis, and breaking news alerts.

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON
BoF Professional - How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections
© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Accessibility Statement.
BoF Professional - How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections