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• U.K. Tobacco Firms, Retailers Fixed Prices, OFT Says (Update3) 

Tesco Plc, Imperial Tobacco Group Plc and eleven other companies were accused of fixing cigarette prices between 2000 and 2003 by the U.K.'s antitrust regulator, opening the first formal probe of tobacco sales.

The Office of Fair Trading said today it's investigating whether 11 retailers and two manufacturers linked the price of tobacco brands made by competing companies. The regulator in London is also examining whether Imperial, Japan Tobacco Inc.'s Gallaher unit and five retailers shared information on prices.

The probe is the second in the last six months involving U.K. retailers. In December, supermarkets including Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Asda and J Sainsbury Plc agreed to pay fines of as much as 116 million pounds ($228.5 million) for fixing milk prices in 2002 and 2003 after an Office of Fair Trading probe. . . .

Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Somerfield Ltd., Co-operative Group Ltd., William Morrison Supermarkets Plc, Safeway Plc, First Quench Retailing Ltd., T&S Stores Plc and TM Retail Ltd. were also named

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