Finnland: berry cartel facing massive fine
The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) has accused leading companies in the berry industry of illegal price-fixing. The authority classified this practice as a very serious breach of competition law and has proposed a 9.4-million-euro fine, which the Market Court has yet to approve. A few years ago, several Finnish berry companies were found guilty of human trafficking.
Treat pickers fairly
The berry industry must reform, urges Lapin Kansa:
“Following allegations of human trafficking, the reputation of the wild berry industry is already so tarnished that not all companies in the sector will necessarily survive this latest blow. A restructuring of the market could be on the cards, which is certainly necessary. There is an urgent need for new entrepreneurs and companies in the industry – or at least ones that are truly committed to reform – who treat their most important asset, the berry pickers, fairly and respectfully while adhering to the rules of the market economy. If this is not profitable enough, the entire berry industry might as well just shut down.”
Rethink our consumer habits
Kaleva stresses that consumers, who can pick berries both for their own consumption or for sale to the food industry, also bear responsibility:
“The berry industry became increasingly dependent on cheap labour when the picking of wild berries under Finland's traditional rights of public access could no longer supply it with enough raw materials. Few Finns want to go out and pick their own berries in the forest, and if the berry industry fails to get its problems under control, even greater quantities of berries could go unharvested. Citizens should rethink their consumption habits. By making responsible choices we can influence whether, in a worst-case scenario, we support modern slavery, or whether our purchasing decisions promote healthy business practices.”