Spanish National Court Confirms Milk Cartel, Paving the Way for Multi-Million Dollar Claims
Source: The DairyNews
The National Court of Spain has officially confirmed the existence of the Milk Cartel, implicating major dairy industry players such as Pascual, Puleva, CAPSA (operating under the brand Central Lechera Asturiana), Danone, Lactalis, Nestlé, CELEGA, and Schreiber.
The anti-competitive practices carried out between 2000 and 2013 involved the exchange of information on purchase prices of raw cow’s milk, purchase volumes from farmers, and milk surpluses.
This groundbreaking decision, announced on February 21, supports the claims of thousands of farmers affected over the past 14 years. Estimated damages suffered due to these practices may exceed 1,000 million euros for the entire sector.
ESKARIAM, in collaboration with the international firm HAUSFELD, and HITCHINGS & CO., played a pivotal role in defending the livestock sector during the appeals process before the National Court. The court's ruling not only confirms the anti-competitive conduct but also opens the door for affected farmers to claim economic damages. The accused dairy companies, including Nestlé, Danone, and others, may face a flood of claims from the impacted farmers.
While the cartel companies have the option to appeal the ruling before the Supreme Court, the confirmed facts drastically reduce their chances of reversing the situation. The legal efforts of ESKARIAM, HAUSFELD, and HITCHINGS & CO. have empowered the livestock sector to pursue compensation for the damages suffered throughout this period.
About ESKARIAM:
ESKARIAM specializes in tort claims and complex litigation, focusing on delivering high legal value solutions. With a multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals, the company defends collective claims and operates in various sectors, providing support for high-value class actions.
About Hausfeld:
Hausfeld, with nearly 15 years of experience, specializes in recovering damages for clients in private damages claims across Europe. The firm has been involved in complex damages claims, including the Truck Cartel case, "Interchange Fees" litigation against Visa and MasterCard, and claims against major tech companies like Apple and Google.
About HITCHINGS & CO.:
Hitchings & Co., established in 2021, offers specialized services in Competition litigation on both plaintiff and defendant sides. Led by Paul Hitchings, the legal team for the Milk Cartel case brings over 20 years of experience in competition law, having litigated numerous cases in Spain and Europe.
This groundbreaking decision, announced on February 21, supports the claims of thousands of farmers affected over the past 14 years. Estimated damages suffered due to these practices may exceed 1,000 million euros for the entire sector.
ESKARIAM, in collaboration with the international firm HAUSFELD, and HITCHINGS & CO., played a pivotal role in defending the livestock sector during the appeals process before the National Court. The court's ruling not only confirms the anti-competitive conduct but also opens the door for affected farmers to claim economic damages. The accused dairy companies, including Nestlé, Danone, and others, may face a flood of claims from the impacted farmers.
While the cartel companies have the option to appeal the ruling before the Supreme Court, the confirmed facts drastically reduce their chances of reversing the situation. The legal efforts of ESKARIAM, HAUSFELD, and HITCHINGS & CO. have empowered the livestock sector to pursue compensation for the damages suffered throughout this period.
About ESKARIAM:
ESKARIAM specializes in tort claims and complex litigation, focusing on delivering high legal value solutions. With a multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals, the company defends collective claims and operates in various sectors, providing support for high-value class actions.
About Hausfeld:
Hausfeld, with nearly 15 years of experience, specializes in recovering damages for clients in private damages claims across Europe. The firm has been involved in complex damages claims, including the Truck Cartel case, "Interchange Fees" litigation against Visa and MasterCard, and claims against major tech companies like Apple and Google.
About HITCHINGS & CO.:
Hitchings & Co., established in 2021, offers specialized services in Competition litigation on both plaintiff and defendant sides. Led by Paul Hitchings, the legal team for the Milk Cartel case brings over 20 years of experience in competition law, having litigated numerous cases in Spain and Europe.
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