Coca-Cola HBC under investigation in Poland for delayed supplier payments 

POLAND – Coca-Cola HBC is facing scrutiny from Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) over allegations of delayed payments to its suppliers. 

The Polish arm of the beverage giant is under investigation for reportedly failing to fulfill its financial obligations in a timely manner. 

The UOKiK has accused Coca-Cola HBC, along with nine other companies, including Delpharm Poznań and Emerlog, of excessive delays in meeting payment obligations. 

The investigation is centered around instances where the sum of overdue payments over a three-month period amounted to at least 2 million zlotys (approximately US$5.2 million). 

In response, Coca-Cola HBC acknowledged the investigation and stated, “We are aware of the pending proceedings and are working with the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection to help resolve the matter.”  

The company emphasized its commitment to its suppliers, noting that 90% of its supplies in Poland are sourced locally. This includes key raw materials and packaging, with the company working with over 1,000 suppliers ranging from small local businesses to large international firms. 

The UOKiK has issued “soft notices” to the investigated companies, alerting them to the irregularities in their payment practices and urging them to improve their payment discipline.  

Tomasz Chróstny, the president of UOKiK, highlighted the detrimental impact of late payments on smaller businesses, stating that such delays disrupt their financial stability, hinder investments, and stifle growth.  

Chróstny stressed the importance of timely payments from large companies to ensure the smooth operation of smaller contractors. 

The competition authority is currently determining the financial penalties that Coca-Cola HBC may face.  

In calculating these penalties, the UOKiK will consider the value of overdue payments, the length of delays, the gravity of the violation, and the company’s efforts to rectify the situation and cooperate with the investigation. The timeline for the conclusion of the investigation remains uncertain. 

Concurrently, Coca-Cola HBC is also being examined by Hungary’s anti-trust authority. The company faces accusations of misleading environmental claims regarding the recyclability of its PET bottles for the Naturaqua brand. 

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola HBC AG has announced the repurchase of 55,172 ordinary shares at prices ranging from £27.22 (US$30.18) to £27.42 (US$30.40) per share.  

This repurchase is part of an ongoing share purchase program initiated in November 2023. The shares will be held in treasury and may be used for employee incentive schemes or cancelled.  

Following this transaction, the total number of voting rights in the company stands at 363,450,970. 

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