Nutella maker Ferrero has been raided by EU officials as part of an investigation into possible uncompetitive practices.
As reported by the Financial Times, the family-owned Italian company confirmed on Wednesday that it was the target of unannounced inspections by EU officials over possible violations of European antitrust rules.
It comes after the European Commission said on Monday that it was carrying out inspections at the premises of a chocolate confectionery company in two EU countries.
“Ferrero is aware that on-site inspections are currently taking place in its offices by European Commission officials,” Ferrero said. “The company is fully co-operating and providing the information requested.”
The Commission declined to comment.
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Ferrero, which makes products including Ferrero Rocher and Kinder Bueno, could have breached rules that ban cartels, restrictive business practices and abuses of a dominant market position.
The Commission said on Monday it was investigating possible restrictions imposed by a manufacturer on selling goods within the single market.
Unannounced inspections were the Commission’s first step into investigating suspected anti-competitive practices but do not mean they have occurred, it said.
Ferrero last year bought US breakfast cereal maker WK Kellogg in a $3.1bn deal as part of its push into North America.
The takeover brought Ferrero’s chocolate and biscuit brands including Rafaello and Butterfinger under the same roof as cereals such as Kellogg’s Cornflakes and Froot Loops.
Ferrero was founded in 1946 by Pietro Ferrero, whose grandson Giovanni is executive chair.
In 2024, the Commission fined Mondelez, Ferrero’s main competitor, €337mn for anti-competitive practices.
The Cadbury and Oreo maker was found to have restricted the cross-border trade of chocolate, biscuits and coffee products, breaching the EU’s competition rules.
The activities included limiting where Mondelez distributors could resell its goods and ordering distributors to apply higher prices on exported products.
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