Publishers face probe after allegedly fixing textbook prices

The Competition Commission will investigate the Publishers’ Association of South Africa (PASA) and its over 91 members for fixing the prices of books.

“Given how widespread the practise is and the importance of the products, we expect the participants to cooperate with the investigation, by among other things, immediately bringing their cartel activities to a stop and approaching the Competition Commission,” Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Commissioner received information pointing to the fact that the association and its members who are publishers, book importers and sellers of books to government departments, educational institutions, retailers among others, may have been involved in fixing prices of books in contravention of the Competition Act.

The commission said the price fixing arrangement appears to be historic in the industry dating back as early as 1980s.

The information indicates that PASA and its members allegedly agreed to fix prices for and trading conditions in respect of:

• Pre-school to Grade 12 books, associated teacher’s guides and support materials;
• Student textbooks, learning material, associated teacher’s guide and support material for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Colleges (TVET) at secondary education;
• Textbooks and other publications for learning at tertiary education institutions;
• Trade books (books for sale to the general public); and
• eBooks (Electronic versions of all of the abovementioned books).

- SAnews.gov.za