PCA Adopts Infringement Decision in the Market for Bottled Gas

The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) imposed fines of 9.29 million euros on Petrogal, Galp Açores and Galp Madeira for alleged practices that restrict competition in the market for bottled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in continental Portugal and in the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira.

According to the announcement published by the PCA on 3 February 2015, the investigation carried out led to the conclusion that the undertakings of Galp Energia group prohibited passive sales. In other words, they forbid its bottled LPG distributors from responding to unsolicited orders originating from outside the geographic area defined in the relevant agreement. This prevented consumers from choosing the distributor that offers the best conditions.