The French competition authority has fined Essilor-Luxottica SA and its subsidiary Essilor International SAS €81 million, according to a statement from the authority. The fine was imposed for “discriminatory business practices,” the statement said. Essilor-Luxottica announced in a separate statement that it would appeal the conviction.
The two companies are said to have engaged in discriminatory commercial practices for 11 years and 7 months to hamper the development of online sales of prescription lenses in France. This is the finding of an investigation that included inspections, seizures, hearings and questioning of stakeholders in the optical lens industry.
“Although online sales sites are very competitively priced and reflect the government’s desire to promote a sales method that results in lower prices, Essilor’s discriminatory business practices may have helped keep the price of eyewear high and during the period of the infringement.” to increase. They also helped limit consumer choice and information, although, as the agency noted, access to and communication of Essilor’s products has been limited given the products’ unparalleled reputation for credibility in the nascent online distribution channel of were of crucial importance,” according to the authority.
EssilorLuxottica will appeal the decision and the fine, the Italian eyewear giant announced in a press release. “EssilorLuxottica firmly believes in the legitimacy of its practices and the importance of distributing certain segments of prescription products under conditions that allow us to ensure consumers can obtain the best vision correction for their individual vision needs. The company also affirms that its practices were fully consistent with the competitive and regulatory environment of the period in question and benefited not only its customers and partners but the industry as a whole. EssilorLuxottica totally disagrees with FCA’s decision and will appeal against it. The company is confident that it will successfully demonstrate that the decision is unfounded.”
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUnited.nl.