Dutch consumer and market authority ACM has helped its French counterpart dish out fines to seven food producers for price fixing and dividing the French apple sauce market between them.

Dutch company Coroos was involved in the cartel, which was active between 2010 and 2014, and was the first to reveal its existence to the French Autorité de la Concurrence. This means the company will not have to pay its share of the fine, which totals some €58.3m.

The seven companies controlled 90% of the market and met to make their secret deals in hotels and restaurants in France. They also had specially designated phones to discuss their business dealings.

The ACM said the fine shows that cross border cartels cannot avoid coming under the scrutiny of regulators.