The Czech brewer, Plzensky Prazdroj, the SABMiller subsidiary, has been fined Kc2.3m (US$84,190) by the Czech anti-monopoly office UOHS for illegal contracts on minimal annual beer purchases with restaurants, UOHS reported recently in a statement. The contracts are serious barriers preventing the supply of different products at different prices, said Chairman of UHOS Josef Bednar, to the news agency CTK. He said they also harmed consumers.

Spokesman of Plzensky Prazdroj, Alexej Bechtin said: "We do not agree with this decision." Prazdroj said it would pay the fine and comply with the ruling, although it will be appealing against it.

03 July, 2003