At issue is an agreement between competing companies not to hire drivers, which helped keep many workers' wages artificially low. In other words, the regulator accuses Biedronka of agreeing with a transport company not to hire each other’s drivers, which put downward pressure on wages.

Reuters reports that the European Commission has examined the case and concluded that the conduct breaches EU competition rules. The agreement in question reportedly began in June 2017 and, as far as is known, lasted until February 2024, involving 29 transport companies. The companies thus agreed not to hire each other’s drivers.

In a statement, UOKiK chairman Tomasz Chrostny said the incident constitutes “a conspiracy that deprives workers of this right and undermines the basic principles of fair competition”. He added that “these practices must be resolutely eliminated from the market”.

Jerónimo Martins’ Polish subsidiary was also accused of organising a scheme that succeeded because of the company’s economic influence in the country, where it is the largest supermarket chain in Poland.