The Dutch competition watchdog, known as ACM, has initiated an investigation into the operations of Bol.com, a leading business platform in the country. This investigation comes as a reaction to several indications suggesting that Bol.com is using its platform to favor its own services and specific entrepreneurs. Such activities, if proven true, would imply a preferential treatment that compromises the fair chances of other sellers using the platform.
The Belgian Competition Authority is also taking a keen interest in the developments surrounding this investigation. It has been in regular communication with the Dutch regulator, as confirmed on Thursday evening in the office of the Belgian Minister of Economy, Pierre-Yves Dermagne. The Belgian authority has affirmed that it is closely monitoring the issues raised and will make an independent decision on whether it sees enough grounds to initiate a parallel investigation in Belgium.
Earlier in the same day, N-VA MP Michael Freilich had urged Minister Dermagne to commence an investigation into Bol.com’s practices. Freilich believes that a thorough probe is the only way to ensure that the market remains fair and inclusive for all sellers who wish to use it. His sentiments reflect a shared concern about the potential for monopolistic practices to distort competition and disadvantage some sellers.
These calls for investigation are also backed by self-employed organizations Unizo and NSZ. Unizo’s CEO, Danny Van Assche, has expressed his support for these calls, stating that his organization has been advocating for some time to address the dominant position of large online trading platforms over small retailers. In addition to supporting the current investigation, he also calls for a broader scrutiny of other major internet platforms.
