Carrefour sign

Carrefour Indonesia has said that it is to appeal a decision made by the country's anti-monopoly commission this week that ruled it had broken antitrust laws following its purchase of Alfa Retailindo in 2008.

Indonesia’s Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) announced on Tuesday the French retailer must sell its local subsidiary PT Alfa Retailindo and pay fines of Rp25bn (US$2.61m).

Carrefour’s consumer market share hit 55.9 per cent after the purchase, up from 38 per cent previously, and the company controlled 57.99 per cent of supplier market share, which contravened Indonesian anti-monopoly legislation.

It was alleged the company used this dominance to put pressure on suppliers and other retailers.

However, Carrefour's lawyer Ignatius Andy told Reuters that the decision would be fought.

'Carrefour cannot accept that ruling, because it is an incorrect ruling which does not match the data, testimonies and research,' he said. 'We will ask the District Council to cancel the ruling.'