Edenred meal vouchers: the shares of the group that owns Ticket Restaurant plummet on the Paris market, reaching fall by up to 12% to 16,31 eurosThe Antitrust has in fact announced the opening of an investigation into the alleged abuse of dominant position in the food voucher sector.
Edenred meal vouchers: what happened?
The investigation concerns Edenred Italia Srl and its parent company Edenred Se. According to the Authority, Edenred implemented "a strategy to transfer unjustified burdens onto large-scale distribution, with the consequence of possible higher costs for consumers”.
The Authority explains in a note that, "after the introduction of the regulatory limit on the commissions applicable by the issuing companies to the affiliated merchants for the meal voucher reimbursement, Edenred would have implemented a complex strategy to transfer completely unjustified burdens onto the operators of large-scale retail trade". In particular, Edenred "would have unilaterally imposed a reorganization of the acceptance methods for electronic meal vouchers, eliminating direct integration between large-scale retail trade cash register systems and their own authorization platforms, imposing the use of indirect interconnection systems provided by third-party providers and thus increasing costs for large-scale distributionEdenred would also have imposed other penalizing conditions such as, for example, an extension of the reimbursement period for meal vouchers."
According to the Antitrust, "the greater operational complexity and the increase in costs for large-scale distribution may be reflected in higher burdens for consumers and impact the proper functioning of the market." On Wednesday, officials from the Authority, with the assistance of the Special Antitrust Unit of the Guardia di Finanza, carried out inspections at the offices of Edenred Italia Srl as well as at the offices of other major meal voucher issuers and some providers, believed to be in possession of information useful for the investigation.
Edenred responds after the meal voucher investigation
“Edenred was informed on Wednesday by the Italian Competition Authority that, following a complaint presented by some operators in the retail sector, it was an investigation has been launched against Edenred Italia Srl for alleged abuse of a dominant position in the meal voucher market in Italy. Edenred cannot comment on this investigation. while it is in progress and is naturally at the disposal of the Competition and Market Authority for provide all necessary explanations to ensure a correct understanding of the services offered to the retail sector in Italy." This is stated in a statement released after the Antitrust Authority's announcement on the launch of the investigation. "In full compliance with the regulations on meal vouchers in Italy, in particular the conditions set forth in the law of 16 December 2024," the statement reads, "Edenred is confident in the successful outcome of the investigation.
