(Reuters) -Australia's competition regulator said on Monday it has started civil proceedings against a couple of fresh produce suppliers over allegations of price fixing in their supply of vegetables to the Australian division of German discount retailer ALDI.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commision (ACCC) has launched proceedings in the Federal Court against four suppliers and three senior executives, alleging they engaged in price fixing of key household vegetables supplied to stores of ALDI, the third-largest supermarket chain in Australia, between 2018 and 2024.

The ACCC alleged that on 28 separate occasions, two or more of the suppliers entered into arrangements aimed at controlling or maintaining the price of broccoli, cauliflower, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, Brussels sprouts, or zucchini.

"Businesses acting together instead of competing can drive up prices and harm consumers, while disadvantaging other businesses that are seeking to compete fairly," ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said on Monday.

ALDI could not be immediately reached for a comment.

In March, ACCC said the country's dominant supermarket chains benefited from wider profit margins at a time of rapidly increasing shelf prices.