Sennheiser, a leading manufacturer of high-quality electronics, particularly headphones and microphones, has been implicated in antitrust violations alongside Sonova, a global provider of hearing solutions. The Consumer Electronics division of Sennheiser was sold to Sonova through a carve-out process.

Investigations by the Austrian Federal Competition Authority began in 2022, focusing on suspected vertical agreements related to the sale of Sennheiser-branded headphones. In September 2022, both companies were subjected to searches in Germany, assisted by the German Federal Cartel Office.

The investigation revealed that Sennheiser and Sonova engaged in illegal behavior by implementing vertical price-fixing agreements concerning Consumer Electronics products. This conduct involved systematic monitoring of resale prices and efforts to influence authorized resellers to maintain higher consumer prices.

The violations occurred over an extended period, with Sennheiser's misconduct spanning from May 2015 to February 2022, and Sonova's from March 2022 to September 2022. Such agreements are classified as serious infringements of competition law, particularly as they directly impact price competition.

In 2023, both companies submitted a leniency application to the Austrian Federal Competition Authority, demonstrating full cooperation during the investigation. This cooperation was taken into account when determining the fines, which were calculated in conjunction with the Federal Cartel Prosecutor.

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