Heineken subsidiary handed 31.5 million euro record Greek fine

ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek subsidiary of Dutch brewer Heineken (HEIN.AS) has been fined 31.5 million euros (22.29 million pound) for market abuse in the largest such fine ever levied by Greece's competition watchdog.

The Competition Commission announced on Tuesday that the subsidiary, Athenian Brewery, was fined for abusing its dominant position in the production and distribution of beer.

"This is the highest fine that the Commission has ever imposed on a single company in Greece," Competition Commission boss Dimitris Kyritsakis told Reuters.

The Commission said Athenian had enforced policies which excluded its rivals from the on-trade consumption market over a 15-year period and has engaged in restrictive wholesale practices.

The company will now have to introduce new written contracts to avoid repeating the infringement, according to the ruling.

Athenian said the decision was unfair and that it would take legal action against it.

"Athenian Brewery categorically denies Commission's allegations, considers the ruling unfair and groundless and will take the case to court immediately to safeguard its rights and restore its reputation," it said in a statement.

(Reporting by Lefteris Karagiannopoulos; editing by Angeliki Koutantou and Jason Neely)