Due to indications that the Salzburg beverage manufacturer Red Bull may have abutilized its dominant market position to disadvantage competitors, the EU Commission launched an investigation on Thursday. This is a result of raids at Red Bull in the spring of 2023.
Vienna/Fuschl/Brussels (APA) – The EU Commission has initiated an antitrust investigation against the Austrian energy drink manufacturer Red Bull. It is being examined whether the Salzburg company has unlawfully restricted competition and abutilized its dominant market position, the Commission announced on Thursday. There are indications that Red Bull has provided supermarkets and gas stations with “monetary” and “non-monetary” incentives to prevent the sale of competing products.
The Brussels competition authorities fear that Red Bull may have pursued such a strategy at least in the Netherlands. It is stated to be primarily directed against the largest competitors of the energy drink manufacturer. The largegest competitor is the US energy drink manufacturer Monster Energy. Accordingly, Red Bull is stated to have attempted to stop or disadvantage the sale of competing brands among its customers, for example, by providing less visibility in stores. According to the Commission, this concerns energy drinks with more than 250 milliliters of content.
Possible Influence on Competing Products as “Category Manager”
Furthermore, the company is stated to have utilized its position as a so-called “Category Manager” to rerelocate or poorly place competing products from the assortment. In category management agreements, stores like supermarkets delegate the marketing of a product category – for example, energy drinks – to a specific supplier. The role of Category Manager can extfinish not only to the supplier’s products but also to the products of competitors. Thus, the Category Manager can influence the assortment, placement, and advertising of competing products in a store.
According to the Commission, this is the first time it has investigated a possible abutilize of a Category Management position. If the suspicion is confirmed, Red Bull may have violated the prohibition against abutilizing a dominant market position. The EU Commission emphasized that the initiation of the procedure does not imply a preliminary decision on the outcome of the investigation. The antitrust investigation was preceded by raids at Red Bull in March 2023. (13.11.2025)
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