The Atlantic salmon industry heavyweights in the UK are facing a legal claim suggesting their involvement in cartel activities and price inflation over several years. The UK legal firm Simmons and Simmons has filed a class action seeking £382m ($484m) on behalf of British consumers against major Norwegian salmon producers. These producers include Mowi, SalMar, Lerøy, Grieg, and Scottish Sea Farms.
The claim alleges that these companies colluded to increase global prices for farmed Atlantic salmon, leading consumers to pay up to 20% more than they should have. The defendants are accused of participating in co-ordinated transactions and sharing information unlawfully to drive prices up. The claim seeks compensation for consumers who purchased certain farmed Atlantic salmon products from UK grocery retailers between October 2015 and May 2019.
The action was filed under the name of Waterside, a group dedicated to leading the claim, at the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal. The claim asserts that overcharging continued until 31 May 2019, following an investigation by the European Commission in February 2019. The Commission’s preliminary view in January 2024 stated that various Norwegian companies, including Mowi, SalMar, Lerøy, and Grieg, colluded to fix prices between 2011 and 2019.
Anne Heal, speaking on behalf of Waterside, expressed the aim of seeking fair redress for affected consumers and holding the companies accountable. Patrick Boylan, head of Simmons and Simmons’ UK dispute resolution group, stated their readiness to work on the claim against the accused companies.
The salmon businesses named in the claim, including Grieg Seafood and Mowi, have responded to the allegations. Grieg Seafood denied any anti-trust infringements, while Mowi refuted any involvement in anti-competitive behavior. The US price-fixing probe from 2019 was dropped in 2023, and some defendants had settled class-action lawsuits in the US without accepting liability.
In March, seven UK supermarket groups filed for compensation over an alleged cartel involving Lerøy, Grieg, SalMar, and Mowi in the Atlantic farmed salmon sector. Stay informed with our daily news round-up on food and beverage industry trends and food and drink consumer patterns to give your business an edge with leading industry insights.