Peters accused of freezing out rivals by demanding only their ice creams sold at service stations

Why ice cream lovers are being ‘deprived’: Peters is accused of freezing out rivals by demanding only Maxibons, Drumsticks and desserts they manufacture are sold at service stations and convenience stores

  • ACCC accused Peters Ice Cream of preventing fair competition on Friday 
  • They claim the ice cream brand barred others brands from being sold at stores
  • This means only their ice cream sold at petrol stations and convenience stores
  • Peters Ice Cream told the ACCC that they had started a new agreement with PFD 

Ice cream giants Peters is accused of preventing competition by demanding their treats are the only ones sold at service stations and convenience stores

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched proceedings against Australasian Food Group Pty Ltd, trading as Peters Ice Cream, on Friday.

The ACCC allege between November 2014 and December 2019 there was a deal with PFD Food Services Pty Ltd to distribute ice creams such as Drumsticks and Maxibons to petrol and convenience retailers nationally.

This deal allegedly stipulated hat PFD could not stock any competing products in certain Australian locations, and the company was the only stockist to convenience stores and petrol stations.

Beloved ice cream brand Peters is accused of preventing competition by demanding their treats are the only ones sold at service stations and convenience stores (pictured, women eating Peters Ice Cream)

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched proceedings against Australasian Food Group Pty Ltd, trading as Peters Ice Cream, on Friday

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched proceedings against Australasian Food Group Pty Ltd, trading as Peters Ice Cream, on Friday

Peters denied requests by PFD to stock other single-wrapped ice creams. 

‘We allege that, as a result of the agreement and Peters’ conduct, other ice cream suppliers had no commercially viable way of distributing their single serve ice creams to national petrol and convenience retailers,’ ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.

‘Our case is that the distribution agreement and Peters’ conduct effectively raised barriers of entry, which hindered or prevented potential new entry into the market to supply single serve ice cream products to petrol and convenience retailers.’

ACCC also allege that a large part of Peters’s motive was to protect its market position as one of two major supplies of single-wrapped ice cream.  

‘We allege that this conduct reduced competition, and may have deprived ice cream lovers of a variety of choice or the benefit of lower prices when purchasing an ice cream at one of these stores,’ Mr Sims said.

The ACCC also allege it was not commercially viable for new entrants to the mark to incur the cost of establishing their own distribution network.  

Peters Ice Cream told the ACCC that, without admission, they had since entered into a new agreement with PFD.

The agreement no longer includes the previous clause. 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Peters Ice Cream and PFD Food Services for comment.     

The ACCC allege between November 2014 and December 2019 there was a deal with PFD Food Services Pty Ltd to distribute ice creams such as Drumsticks and Maxibons to petrol and convenience retailers nationally

The ACCC allege between November 2014 and December 2019 there was a deal with PFD Food Services Pty Ltd to distribute ice creams such as Drumsticks and Maxibons to petrol and convenience retailers nationally