Mexico finds Coca-Cola guilty of violating antitrust guidelines

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - Mexico's antitrust commission has found Coca-Cola and 89 of its bottlers guilty of trying to shut key competitors out of Mexico's soft drink market.

The Federal Competition Commission said Coke has been violating the country's competition laws by signing exclusivity contracts with thousands of small convenience and grocery stores -- agreements which prohibit the stores from stocking competitor's products.

The commission ordered Coke to stop offering exclusivity contracts and also barred the company from continuing some its sales and marketing practices in Mexico, its largest market outside the United States. Regulators stopped short of fining the company.

Coke spokesman Ben Deutsch said the company respects the decision of the Competition Commission and will take time to review it before determining the next step.