Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd (No 4) [2017] FCA 1590

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd (No 4) [2017] FCA 1590 File number: NSD 2510 of 2013

Judge: WIGNEY J

Date of judgment: 22 December 2017

Catchwords: TRADE PRACTICES – competition law – restrictive trade practices – cartel conduct – whether Respondent contravened ss 44ZZRK or 45(2) of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) – where Respondent and two other manufacturers and wholesale suppliers of laundry detergent in Australia transitioned to ultra concentrated laundry detergent and ceased supplying retailers with standard concentrates at about the same time – whether Respondent entered into an arrangement, or arrived at an understanding, with the other suppliers, in relation to the transition that included exclusionary provisions, or provisions that had the purpose, or had or were likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in the market for laundry detergent in Australia – parallel conduct – exclusionary provisions – Jones v Dunkel inferences Held: applicant did not discharge its burden of proving on the balance of probabilities that the respondent entered into any such arrangement or arrived at any such understanding

Legislation: Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) (repealed) ss 4D, 4E, 4F, 44ZZRD, 44ZZRK, 45(2), 45(3), 76 Trade Practices Amendment (Cartel Conduct and Other Measures) Act 2009 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 140, 191

Cases cited: ACCC v Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd (2001) 115 FCR 442 Apco Service Stations Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2005) 159 FCR 452; [2005] FCAFC 161 ASX Operations Pty Ltd v Pont Data Australia Pty Ltd (No 1) (1990) 27 FCR 460 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Air New Zealand Limited [2014] FCA 1157; (2014) 319 ALR 388 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd (2003) 198 ALR 657 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v CC (NSW) Pty Ltd (No 8) (1999) 92 FCR 375; [1999] FCA 954 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Leahy Petroleum Pty Ltd [2004] FCA 1678; (2004) 141 FCR 183 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Leahy Petroleum Ltd [2007] FCA 794; 160 FCR 321 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 113; 323 ALR 429 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Yazaki Corporation (No 2) [2015] FCA 1304 Australian Securities & Investments Commission v Australian Lending Centre Pty Ltd (No 3) (2012) 287 ALR 693 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar & Ors (2012) 247 CLR 345 Brandi v Mingot (1976) 12 ALR 551 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 British Basic Slag Ltd v Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements [1963] 1 WLR 727; 2 All ER 807 Claremont Petroleum NL v Cummings (1992) 110 ALR 239 Dandy Power Equipment Pty Ltd v Mercury Marine Pty Ltd (1982) 44 ALR 173 Eastern Express Pty Ltd v General Newspapers Pty Ltd (1991) 30 FCR 385 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 L Grollo & Company Pty Ltd v Nu-Statt Decorating Pty Ltd (1978) 34 FLR 81 News Limited v Australian Rugby Football League Limited (1996) 64 FRC 410 News Limited v South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club Ltd (2003) 215 CLR 563 Norcast v Bradken (No 2) (2013) 219 FCR 14 Rural Press Limited v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2003) 216 CLR 53 Rural Press Limited v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 118 FCR 236 Stationers Supply Pty Ltd v Victorian Authorised Newsagents Ltd (1993) 44 FCR 35 Stirling Harbour Services Pty Ltd v Bunbury Port Authority [2000] ATPR 41-783 Top Performance Motors Pty Ltd v Ira Berk (Qld) Pty Ltd (1975) 24 FLR 286 Trade Practices Commission v David Jones (Aust) Pty Ltd (1986) 13 FCR 446 Trade Practices Commission v Email Ltd (1980) 43 FLR 383 Trade Practices Commission v Service Station Association Ltd (1993) 44 FCR 206 Trade Practices Commission v TNT Management Pty Ltd (1985) 6 FCR 1