German breweries fined over price fix

German authorities have fined five big breweries a total of 106.5 million euros ($145 million) for illegal price-fixing.

Bitburger, Krombacher, Veltins, Warsteiner and Barre were all penalized, as well as seven people who were found personally responsible.

The Federal Cartel Office said they had colluded on price rises for draft and bottled beers between 2006 and 2008.

The office says six other brewers are still under investigation.

It added that the investigation was prompted by information from the German unit of global beer giant Anheuser-Busch Inbev, which brews Becks beer.

The company escaped a fine because of its co-operation with the inquiry.

Germany is the biggest producer of beer in Europe.