Harney urged to act on claims of milk price-fixing

THE Tánaiste was urged yesterday to take action on allegations that an illegal milk cartel was engaged in price-fixing costing consumers millions of euro.

According to opposition parties, the Tánaiste has a duty to protect consumers against price rip-offs. An illegal cartel operating in the dairy industry during the 1990s was involved in price fixing, an investigation by RTÉ’s current affairs programme, Prime Time, claimed earlier this week.

The two biggest companies named in the report, Glanbia and Dairygold, have denied that any cartel was in place. According to Prime Time, the country’s largest liquid milk processor, Glanbia, was the driving force behind the price-fixing cartel, which it claimed pocketed millions at the expense of consumers. The programme also claimed Dairygold, which markets its milk in the Cork area under the brand CMP, was involved.