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1、UNITONETEXTONETescoispreparingalegalbattletoclearitsnameofinvolvementinthedairyprice-fixingscandalthathascostconsumers£270million.Failuretoprovethatithadnopartincollusionwithothersupermarketsanddairyprocessorsmaylanditwithafineofatleast£80million.TheOfficeofFairTrading(OFT)saidye
2、sterdaythatAsda,Sainsbury’sandtheformerSafeway,plusthedairycompaniesWiseman,DairyCrestandCheeseCompany,hadadmittedbeinginacarteltofixpricesformilk,butterandcheese.Theywerefinedatotalofjustover£116millionaspartofaleniencydealofferedbythewatchdogtocompaniesthatownedupquicklytoanti-
3、competitivebehaviour.OfficialsattheOFTadmittedprivatelythattheydidnotthinktheywouldeverdiscoverwhichcompanyorindividualhadinitiatedthepricingformula.Butthewatchdogrecognisesthatatthetimesupermarketswereunderpressurefrompoliticiansandfarmerstoraisethecostofmilktosavedairyfarming,t
4、houghitisnotcertainthatmoneyfounditswaytofarmers.TheOFTclaimedinSeptemberthatithadfoundevidencethattheretailchainshadpassedfuturemilkpricestodairycompanies,whichthenreachedafixedpriceamongthemselves.Theaveragecosttoeachhouseholdisthoughttobe£11.25over2002and2003.Priceswentupanext
5、ra3ponapintofmilk,15ponaquarterofapoundofbutterand15ponahalfpoundofcheese.Thereisnodirectrecompenseforconsumers,however,andthemoneywillgototheTreasury.TheNationalConsumerCouncilgavewarningthattheadmissionswoulddentconsumerconfidenceinleadinghighstreetnamesandthatpeoplewouldbecome
6、scepticaloftheirclaims.FarmersForAction,thegroupoffarmersthathasledprotestsoverlowmilkpricessince2000,isseekinglegaladviceonwhetheritcannowbringaclaimforcompensation.TheOFTinvestigationiscontinuing,however,inrelationtoTesco,MorrisonsandthedairygroupLactalisMcLelland,andanylegalac
7、tionisexpectedtobedelayeduntilthatiscompleted.Tescowasdefiantandsaidthatitwaspreparingarobustdefenceofitsactions.LucyNeville-Rolfe,itsexecutivedirector,said:“Aswehavealwayssaid,weactedindependentlyandwedidnotcolludewithanyone.Ourpositionisdifferentfromourcompetitorsandwearedefend
8、ingourowncasevigorously.Ourphilosophyist
