Geronimo Martins is convinced that she has not been involved in any illegal practice in Poland as referred to by the President of the UOKIK and will challenge the decision before the courts, she told Lusa official source of the group today.
© Biedronka/Jerónimo Martins
14/09/2026
by
Lusa
O the Polish consumer protection and competition regulator, UOKIK, imposed a fine of EUR 525 million zlotys (121 million) on Geronimo Martins Polska, owner of Biedronka, for anticompetitive practices.
“ At this stage, we are deeply concerned about how the UOKiK has opted to communicate widely a decision that affects our company without having been previously notified,” said official source of Polish supermarket chain owner Biedronka.
“ In addition to what is legally established, our internal policies, and in particular our Code of Conduct, are very explicit about the obligation to respect the principle of free competition, prohibiting any behavior, agreement or participation in initiatives that may result in the restriction of competition and the violation of the law”, continued the same source.
Thus, “we are firmly convinced that the Company was not involved in any illegal practice, such as those referred to by the president of the UOKiK, so we will challenge this decision to the competent courts”, he concluded.
The chairman of the Competition and Consumer Protection Office has fined more than 570 million zlotys (EUR 131.7 million at the current exchange rate) to the owner of the Biedronka supermarket chain, 29 transport companies and eight individuals, reads on UOKIK's website.
According to the regulatory authority, “transport companies agreed not to compete for employees and Jerome Martins Polska coordinated this agreement.”.
According to UOKIK, as a consequence, “the freedom of drivers to change their employer has been restricted, which may have resulted in worse working conditions for thousands of drivers over the years.”.
“ Workers have the right to seek better wages and working conditions. The connivance that denies this right to workers violates the fundamental principles of fair competition. These practices must be eliminated mercilessly from the market,” says Tomasz Chróstny, president of the Competition and Consumer Protection Office, quoted on the website.
According to the regulator, in the transport companies that served the distribution centers of Biedronka, the drivers employed in these companies had little freedom to change jobs, and the “decisive factor was not the competence”, but rather for those who worked previously.
“ This was the result of a collusion between Geronimo Martins Polska and its partner transport companies, which lasted from June 2017 until at least February 2024”, when UOK conducted an investigation.