EU raids detergent firms on suspicion of price fixing

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators conducted raids across Europe against companies suspected of fixing prices on detergents and powder used to wash clothes and dishes, the European Commission said on Friday.

Procter & Gamble, Henkel and Unilever confirmed they had been raided. The European Commission did not identify the companies or countries, but did say raids had taken place between June 17 and 19.

"The Commission has reason to believe that the companies concerned may have violated EC Treaty rules ... which prohibit practices such as price fixing," the European Union's executive arm said in a statement.

The raids were conducted in cooperation with national agencies.

U.S.-based Procter & Gamble acknowledged its offices had been raided in Belgium, Germany, Spain, Austria, Italy, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

A spokesman for Anglo-Dutch Unilever in the Netherlands said authorities had raided its offices there as well as in Belgium, Austria, Spain and Italy.

German consumer goods firm Henkel, which sells Persil washing powder in most of continental Europe, said authorities had raided its offices.

"I can confirm that there were inspections at Henkel," a company spokesman said.

In addition, Sara Lee said the European Commission had sent a written request for information on its powders. It said Dutch antitrust authorities had raided its Utrecht household and body care office in an inquiry over cosmetics.