Pastizzi vendors have been warned that any attempt to jointly raise prices would be a breach of competition law.

The warning, issued by the competition authority on Saturday, comes after media reports that a number of pastizzi sellers were planning to bump up prices for the traditional fast food by 33 per cent.

“Producers must establish prices independently of one another,” the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority said. “Price fixing is prohibited under the Competition Act and any such acts are a breach of it,” the MCCAA warned.

The MCCAA said it would penalise any vendors it believed were violating competition laws.

It is the second such warning the competition watchdog has issued this month. Some weeks ago, the MCCAA warned bakers that any move to jointly raise prices would amount to a cartel.