Dairies accused of price fixing

SIX Scottish dairies were today accused of working together to fix the price of fresh milk delivered to schools and hotels.

The Office of Fair Trading said provisional findings showed the dairies shared price information, co-ordinated price increases and colluded over plans not to compete for each other's customers.

The allegations, which cover a period between 2000 and 2003, relate to the "middle ground" market sector in Scotland, which consists of schools, shops, cafes and hotels but excludes major supermarkets and doorstep customers.

The OFT's provisional finding is that Wiseman and Grahams were involved for all four years, Scottish Milk Dairies and Renfrew were involved for three years, Quothquan's for two years and Ballantyne for one year only.