Tissue World Magazine
Alexandra Stuthridge, Technical Business Manager, BioProducts Institute (BPI)

Published on 21 April 2016 | (News from RISI) – After over one year of investigations, the Colombian competition authority (SIC) affirmed the existence of collusion in the tissue paper market involving four companies – Kimberly-Clark (K-C), Productos Familia (a joint-venture between Grupo Familia and SCA), Papeles Nacionales and Papeles de Risaralda.

The SIC has recommended to the Colombian Ministry of Trade and Industry to apply fines of around $23 million to the four companies and of $460,000 to the individuals involved in the so-called “Confort cartel” case.

The four companies involved in the Confort cartel are accused of fixing prices for toilet papers, napkins, kitchen towels and facial tissues in Colombia between the years 2000 and 2013.

The final decision on the fine application is expected to be taken by the Colombian trade and industry superintendent Pablo Felipe Robledo by the end of May or early June.

According to the SIC, K-C, Productos Familia, Papeles Nacionales and Papeles de Risaralda together have 82% of the Colombia tissue paper market.

The SIC document doesn’t mention anything about the company Drypers, which is a subsidiary of Chilean CMPC and which was initially included in the Confort case.

CMPC general manager Hernán Rodríguez said: “The SIC investigation has been a very thorough and detailed work, and we have been always collaborating with it.

“I believe that by reviewing all information the authority has reached this preliminary conclusion showing that we are not involved in the case.”