Luxury faces scrutiny: Gucci, Chloé and Loewe fined €157 million for EU Antitrust violations

According to the Commission’s findings, each brand independently restricted third-party retailers’ ability to determine their own resale prices, both online and offline. The conduct spanned multiple years -beginning as early as 2015 for Gucci and Loewe, and in 2019 for Chloé -until 2023, when EU officials executed unannounced inspections at company offices across Italy, France, and Spain.

“In Europe, all consumers—whatever they buy, and wherever they buy it—deserve the benefits of genuine price competition,” stated EU Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera. “This decision sends a clear message: fair competition applies equally across all industries, luxury included.”

A rare enforcement action in luxury fashion

Competition fines of this scale are unusual in the high-end fashion sector, which has largely avoided major EU antitrust sanctions. The last high-profile case dates back to 2019, when Nike was fined €12.5 million for restricting cross-border sales of licensed merchandise.

The current case highlights the Commission’s willingness to extend competition enforcement to industries traditionally seen as brand-driven and image-controlled, signaling that digital and distribution practices in luxury markets are under closer scrutiny.

Cooperation and fine reductions

All three fashion houses cooperated extensively with the European Commission’s investigation, leading to significant fine reductions.

• Gucci and Loewe each received a 50% reduction, with final penalties of €119 million and €18 million, respectively.

• Chloé’s fine was reduced by 15% to €19.6 million.

According to the Commission, information shared by Gucci was particularly valuable, revealing “an infringement of EU competition rules not yet known to the Commission.”

Compliance lessons for the luxury sector

This decision underscores the regulatory risks of centralized price controls in selective distribution networks—a common model among luxury brands. While such systems can be lawful under EU competition rules, restricting retailers’ pricing autonomy crosses the line into illegal resale price maintenance (RPM).

For in-house counsel and compliance officers, the ruling reinforces several priorities:

• Strengthening competition law training within commercial and distribution teams

• Implementing automated compliance systems to monitor online sales practices

• Reviewing digital platform agreements to ensure pricing freedom for authorized resellers

Broader Implications

Experts anticipate a ripple effect across the luxury and retail industries, where price harmonization is often used to preserve brand image.
“Luxury companies are entering a new era of competition oversight,” said one Brussels-based antitrust lawyer. “The EU is making it clear that prestige does not exempt a brand from the rules of the single market.”

With the investigation now closed and cooperation secured, it remains unlikely that any of the three brands will appeal the decision. Still, the case serves as a landmark reminder: even in the world of high fashion, the price of exclusivity must respect the principles of fair competition.

Sophie Stevenard