ACCC Takes Legal Action Against ALDI Vegetable Suppliers for Price Fixing in NSW, Victoria, Queensland

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has initiated civil proceedings in the Federal Court against four vegetable suppliers and three executives for allegedly engaging in a price-fixing cartel involving fresh produce supplied to ALDI stores in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland between 2018 and 2024. The companies involved are Perfection Fresh Australia, Hydro Produce, Veli Velisha Fresh Produce, Velisha National Farms, and M. Fragapane & Sons, with executives Catherine Velisha, Kaushik Vora, and Roberto Nave also implicated. The alleged cartel activity includes 28 occasions where suppliers coordinated to fix, control, or maintain the prices of vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, Brussels sprouts, and zucchini, and 48 occasions where prices were submitted to ALDI reflecting these arrangements. ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb emphasized that such cartel conduct is anti-competitive, illegal, and harms consumers by driving up prices while disadvantaging businesses competing fairly. If found guilty, the companies could face fines up to $50 million, and individuals could be fined up to $2.5 million. ALDI has stated it is aware of the allegations but is not the subject of any investigation.