As first reported by Reuters, the Turkish Competition Board has announced that after concluding a preliminary inquiry into Coca-Cola Satış ve Dağıtım (a subsidiary of Turkish bottler Coca-Cola İçecek) it has decided that the findings were significant and sufficient enough launch an investigation.
The preliminary inquiry was launched in response to allegations that Coca-Cola Satış ve Dağıtım had violated competition law by imposing exclusivity on retail outlets and excluding competitors from outlets.
The probe will also examine whether Coca-Cola Satış ve Dağıtım complied with the commitments it submitted to the Competition Board in 2021.
Coca-Cola İçecek is part owned by The Coca-Cola Company, which owns a 20% stake, while Anadolu Efes owns a stake worth just over 50% in the business. It operates in Turkey, as well as in Azerbaijan, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Bangladesh and Jordan.
Food Manufacture has reached out to Coca-Cola İçecek for comment.
