Wrigley pledge on gum display

WRIGLEY, Britain's leading supplier of chewing gum, has given assurances to the Office of Fair Trading that it will not remove competitors' chewing gum or their display stands from retail outlets without written authorisation from those controlling the premises, writes Mary Fagan.

Wrigley, which has 90 per cent of the chewing gum market in the UK, has also promised that its staff will not give preferential prices to retailers who do not stock rival products.

The undertaking follows allegations of anti-competitive practices by Wrigley, made by Warner Lambert, whose brands include Stimorol, Dentyne and Clorets.

Warner Lambert claimed that Wrigley staff had removed its display stands, which hold products from more than one manufacturer, and replaced them with stands exclusive to Wrigley.