Authors: Marcus Pollard, Kathleen Gooi

A 'Textbook' Cartel?

Next week will see the start of only the third-ever contested trial in the Hong Kong Competition Tribunal since the Competition Ordinance entered into force in 2015. The six-week trial against three school textbook retailers involves allegations of price-fixing, market-sharing, and bid-rigging. The General Manager of one of the retailers is also being prosecuted for his alleged involvement in the cartel conduct. HKCC claims that the alleged arrangement began prior to the commencement of the Competition Ordinance but continued to operate after the Ordinance came into effect.