On 17 August 2021, the Bundeskartellamt imposed a fine totalling around 2 million euros on Fond Of GmbH, Cologne, on account of vertical price fixing.[1] The President of the Bundeskartellamt stated that Fond Of set minimum prices for its school backpacks and school bags and made sure that the retailers involved would not undercut these prices. Fond Of GmbH as well as the retailers involved monitored compliance with the prices and rules for online sales at regular intervals and called on retailers to comply with these. In setting the fine, the Bundeskartellamt took into account that the company had cooperated extensively with the authority.

[1] Bundeskartellamt press release, ‘Bundeskartellamt imposes fine on the Cologne-based company Fond Of GmbH’, 17 August 2021.