Coca-Cola tried to control consumer prices – and is expected to be fined

The Competition Authority published an additional notice of intent to impose a fine against the Central Bottling Company (Coca-Cola Israel) for recommending consumer prices to supermarket chains. The additional fine is expected to be 1.5 million shekels, joining an 18 million shekel penalty imposed on the company in February 2026. The proceeding is part of a broader investigation by the authority against large food and beverage suppliers, with total fines exceeding 150 million shekels.

The Competition Authority, Attorney Michal Cohen, published today (Monday) an additional notice of intent to impose a fine against the Central Bottling Company, the manufacturer and distributor of Coca-Cola in Israel, for violations of the Law for the Promotion of Competition in the Food and Pharmacy Sectors. The additional fine is expected to be 1.5 million shekels, joining an agreed financial penalty of 18 million shekels that the company paid in February 2026. At the center of the affair are consumer price recommendations that the company provided to supermarket chains regarding soft drink products. The law prohibits large suppliers from influencing the price at which their products are sold to consumers, to prevent harm to competition. The current violations were already known during the previous proceeding, but the authority chose to first examine whether the conduct constituted a violation of the rules applicable to the company as a monopoly holder (a status declared in 1998). The examination did not find indications of violations of monopoly rules, so an additional penalty was agreed upon for violations of the food law. The proceeding is part of a broader investigation that began in early 2022 against large food and beverage suppliers, with total fines exceeding 150 million shekels. In the next stage, the authority is also examining the conduct of the major supermarket chains. As of now, this is an agreed notice of intent to impose a fine, published for public comments for 30 days.