The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMC) on August 21 opened a case against business entities that are part of the Roshen group of companies due to abuse of a monopoly in the molasses market.

According to the AMC's website, the largest domestic producers of corn starch molasses (syrups) are business entities that are part of the Roshen group.

"The Roshen group during 2018-2019 had structural signs of a monopoly (dominant) position in this product market. According to the information available to the AMC, in the course of its business activities, Roshen during 2018 set different prices, as well as different conditions for purchasing molasses for a certain group of consumers - confectionery factories," the report says.

The AMC indicated that in 2019, having strengthened market power in connection with the ban on imports of molasses (syrups) from the Russian Federation, Roshen increased prices for molasses of its own production for all buyers who were the subject of price analysis. At the same time, in the course of the research preceding the initiation of the case, the AMC did not establish objective reasons for the increase in prices by this group.

"Such actions of the Roshen group in relation to business entities - competitors in the confectionery markets (including Roshen Confectionery Corporation) - could lead to the prevention, elimination or restriction of competition between them. The AMC starts an investigation, collection and analysis of evidence within the case," the AMC said.