Norgesgruppen lawyer leads joint defence of grocery chains in historic price-fixing trial

On 12 October 2026, the main hearing began at Gulating lagmannsrett, with Kaare Andreas Shetelig speaking for Norgesgruppen, Coop and Rema 1000 in what is described as the biggest competition-law case in Norwegian courts. The dispute stems from an agreement made in 2011 that gave each chain’s “price hunters” access to competitors’ in-store pricing data, a practice the Competition Authority says restricted competition and led to higher prices for shoppers.

The chains argue that checking rivals’ prices is a standard competitive activity and that the alleged cooperation was limited to procedural rules, not a cartel. Shetelig attacked the Competition Board’s earlier decision, saying it set too low a threshold for legal proof and ignored internal documents in context. The case follows a series of investigations and penalties dating back to 2018, culminating in a historic fine that the chains are now seeking to overturn.