ROME (Reuters) -Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) said on Wednesday it had opened an investigation into jewellery and watch-maker Morellato for allegedly imposing unfair restrictions on distributors in the way they sell its products.
The authority said it suspected Morellato, whose proprietary or licensed brands include Sector No Limits, Philip Watch, Esprit and Trussardi, of illegitimately prohibiting authorised retailers from selling its products on online marketplaces and third-party platforms.
“Morellato may be preventing its distributors from effectively using the internet to sell products to particular customers or territories”, contrary to European Union regulations, the AGCM said in a statement.
Officers from the authority and Italy’s finance police carried out an inspection at Morellato’s premises on Tuesday in connection with the investigation, the statement added.
Morellato “has always acted in full compliance with the law and, in particular, with competition law, as well as with the best business practices in the relevant sector, with the sole aim of improving the customer shopping experience”, the company said in a statement.
(Reporting By Gavin Jones; Editing by Jan Harvey and Alvise Armellini)
