Essilor fined 81 million for ecommerce constraint

The French competition authority has ordered a fine for Essilor International, which produces lenses for glasses. The company banned selling its lenses on online platforms in the past. According to the watchdog, this has unfairly hindered ecommerce businesses.

Essilor International is a leading producer of spectacle lenses from France. Its mother company, EssilorLuxottica, is known as the maker of Ray-Bans. According to the French competition authority, the company has hindered ecommerce companies against the law.

Essilor banned online sales of its products

Essilor International has been fined 81 million euros by the French l’Autorité de la Concurrence. EssilorLuxottica, which owns the company, has to pay over 15 million euros of the fine.

Essilor refused to offer its product for online retail.

The fines are in response to actions by the company between 2009 and 2020. During that time, Essilor had forbidden online platforms to use its brand and logos. It also refused to deliver its products for online retail and any online sales did not receive warranties.

Unfair discrimination of online sellers

In an aim to protect its physical sellers, Essilor has unfairly discriminated against online retailers, the watchdog finds. Additionally, the constraints for online sellers resulted in artificial higher prices for glasses and limited choices for consumers. Essilor has therefore acted against the law, the authority says.

Essilor went against the law, the French watchdog finds.

EssilorLuxottica to appeal decision

EssilorLuxottica is starting an appeal. According to the company, they were acting in accordance with the law. Its conditions were meant to ensure the best service and product, Essilor says, therefore benefiting customers, partners and the sector at large.