Today the Federal Court fined Peters Ice Cream $12 million for substantially lessening competition in the market for the supply by manufacturers of single service ice cream and frozen confectionary products.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had issued proceedings against the Australasian Food Group, trading as Peters Ice Cream. The ACCC alleged that Peters acquired distribution services from PFD Food Services on condition that PFD would not sell or distribute competitors' single serve ice cream products in various geographic areas throughout Australia without the prior written consent of Peters - and that this condition substantially lessened competition in the market for the supply by manufacturers of single service ice cream and frozen confectionary products.

Peters admitted the allegations just prior to trial and the Federal Court imposed a penalty of $12 million. Frontier Economics advised the ACCC and a witness statement by Philip Williams was lodged with the Court.

Frontier Economics advises clients on a range of competition and dispute support matters and our economists regularly act as expert witnesses.