A group of big berry companies operated a long-running cartel that distorted prices in the wild berry market, says the Finnish competition watchdog.
The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) has proposed fines totalling around 9.4 million euros for four companies in Finland’s natural berry sector, alleging they formed a purchasing and information-sharing cartel.
The companies named are Polarica, Marja Bothnia Berries, Kiantama and Kaskein Marja. Arctic International, which was also part of the market, went bankrupt last year. Kiantama has been exempted from penalty payments since it cooperated with investigators.
According to the FCCA, the companies coordinated the prices paid to berry pickers and shared commercially sensitive information on wholesale pricing and market conditions between 2013 and 2023.
“We consider the procedure to be a very serious competition violation,” said FCCA Director General Kirsi Leivo.
The authority argues that the arrangement removed independent price competition in both procurement and wholesale markets. The combined market share of the companies was around 80 percent in 2023.
The FCCA says it cannot determine the exact impact on consumer prices, as the cartel primarily concerned berry procurement and wholesale trade rather than retail pricing.
Wild berries in this case refer to blueberries (also known as bilberries), lingonberries and cloudberries.
Investigation spanning several years
The investigation began in late 2022 and involved the FCCA, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Northern Ostrobothnia TE Office. Authorities carried out spot checks, including one coordinated with Swedish counterparts at Polarica’s headquarters.
During the investigation, authorities submitted 67 requests for information and reviewed around 20,000 documents, including 8,800 messages and chats.
Companies reject allegations
Polarica and Marja Bothnia Berries have denied the FCCA’s claims.
Polarica published a press release, in which they argue that the authority’s proposal reflects only its interpretation of the case and that there is no evidence of competition law violations. The company also noted that a similar investigation in Sweden was closed without action.
Marja Bothnia Berries said it has never agreed on prices or strategy with competitors and described information sharing as limited and non-confidential.
Kiantama claims that it has actively cooperated with the authorities to investigate the cartel.
“The measures have included personnel training, refining internal operating models and continuous cooperation with the authorities,” said Janne Piikivi, CEO of Kiantama, in a press release.
The FCCA is seeking the largest penalty — €5.9 million — from Polarica. Marja Bothnia Berries faces a proposed fine of just under €1.8 million, Kaskein Marja and Arctic International close to one million euros each.
Several companies involved have faced separate legal scrutiny in recent years.
Polarica and its management have been accused of a total of 78 counts of aggravated human trafficking involving seasonal berry pickers. The Lapland District Court will likely issue its decision in the case in June.
In 2025, Kiantama’s former CEO received a three-and-a-half-year prison term for 62 counts of aggravated human trafficking, and his Thai associate received a three-year prison term. The rulings may still be appealed.
