Picking
up a new Punto along with the baked beans and toilet tissue might appeal to
German supermarket shoppers but Fiat thinks otherwise.
According to an Associated Press (AP) report, Fiat on Friday won a partial
victory in a court case brought to stop a German supermarket chain from selling
the popular Punto hatchback as a special offer.
A state court in Cologne ordered the closing of a website that promoted the
special offer, AP reported.
Hearings on whether the Edeka supermarket chain can continue selling the new
Fiats in-store were expected this week, the news organisation added.
It quoted Fiat as saying that the Cologne court had ruled that the Internet
offer violated German competition laws.
Edeka offered the Punto either alone or in two ‘bundles’ including
either a motor scooter, computer printer, mobile phone and camera, or a notebook
computer, mobile phone and digital camera, AP said.
The offer was available on the Internet or in shops in the southern German
state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
AP said that Fiat argued that the sale undermines its dealer network in Germany
and that Edeka has no legal right to resell the cars.
Edeka had previously signed an agreement taking the Fiat brand out of advertisements
for the special offers, AP added.
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