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1、UNITONETEXTONETescoispreparingalegalbattletoclearitsnameofinvolvementinthedairyprice-fixingscandalthathascostconsumers£270million.Failuretoprovethatithadnopartincollusionwithothersupermarketsanddairyprocessorsmaylanditwithafineofatleast£80million.TheOfficeofFairTrading(OFT)saidyesterdaythatAsda,
2、Sainsbury’sandtheformerSafeway,plusthedairycompaniesWiseman,DairyCrestandCheeseCompany,hadadmittedbeinginacarteltofixpricesformilk,butterandcheese.Theywerefinedatotalofjustover£116millionaspartofaleniencydealofferedbythewatchdogtocompaniesthatownedupquicklytoanti-competitivebehaviour.Officialsat
3、theOFTadmittedprivatelythattheydidnotthinktheywouldeverdiscoverwhichcompanyorindividualhadinitiatedthepricingformula.Butthewatchdogrecognisesthatatthetimesupermarketswereunderpressurefrompoliticiansandfarmerstoraisethecostofmilktosavedairyfarming,thoughitisnotcertainthatmoneyfounditswaytofarmers
4、.TheOFTclaimedinSeptemberthatithadfoundevidencethattheretailchainshadpassedfuturemilkpricestodairycompanies,whichthenreachedafixedpriceamongthemselves.Theaveragecosttoeachhouseholdisthoughttobe£11.25over2002and2003.Priceswentupanextra3ponapintofmilk,15ponaquarterofapoundofbutterand15ponahalfpoun
5、dofcheese.Thereisnodirectrecompenseforconsumers,however,andthemoneywillgototheTreasury.TheNationalConsumerCouncilgavewarningthattheadmissionswoulddentconsumerconfidenceinleadinghighstreetnamesandthatpeoplewouldbecomescepticaloftheirclaims.FarmersForAction,thegroupoffarmersthathasledprotestsoverl
6、owmilkpricessince2000,isseekinglegaladviceonwhetheritcannowbringaclaimforcompensation.TheOFTinvestigationiscontinuing,however,inrelationtoTesco,MorrisonsandthedairygroupLactalisMcLelland,andanylegalactionisexpectedtobedelayeduntilthatiscompleted.Tescowasdefiantandsaidthatitwaspreparingarobustdef
7、enceofitsactions.LucyNeville-Rolfe,itsexecutivedirector,said:“Aswehavealwayssaid,weactedindependentlyandwedidnotcolludewithanyone.Ourpositionisdifferentfromourcompetitorsandwearedefendingourowncasevigorously.Ourphilosophyist
