Tetra Pak quells rumours
the financial troubles that have affected Italian food giant
Parmalat.
The Switzerland-based drinks packaging company responded to rumours in the Italian and Swedish press, which suggested that Tetra Pak was implicated in the dubious financial dealings which have left Parmalat with a hole in its accounts of somewhere in excess of €14 billion.
Tetra Pak said that its CEO, Nick Shreiber, was not aware that Tetra Pak's payments were being allegedly used for private purposes by Parmalat's disgraced CEO Calisto Tanzi or by any other individuals.
"On the contrary, all payments have been made to the companies mentioned in Parmalat's instructions to Tetra Pak," the company said in a press statement.
Tetra Pak added that a meeting between Nick Shreiber and Parmalat's former CFO, Fausto Tonna, was initiated by Shreiber to clarify Parmalat's financial position. The meeting was called for following insufficient documentation from Parmalat regarding marketing support activities.
Further to this, Tetra Pak said that Shreiber had requested adequate documentation and requested clarification as to which companies Parmalat wanted the payments to be made. As a result of this meeting, which took place on 27 August 2001, Tetra Pak received written confirmation that the companies to which Tetra Pak was to pay belonged to the Parmalat group.
Media reports allege that Tetra Pak paid one third of a marketing support payment in 2002 directly to the Tanzi family. That allegation is false, Tetra Paks said, as the companies to which it was requested to pay carried the Parmalat name.
"Ever since this issue surfaced, Tetra Pak has continuously acted with openness. Full documentation regarding Tetra Pak discounts and marketing support payments have already been handed over to the Italian authorities. In addition, Tetra Pak communicated on 13 January 2004 to which companies the payments have been made," the press statement added.
Tetra Pak went on to stress the fact that it had not knowingly taken part in any transfer of money to accounts outside Parmalat. The company added that if this had been done then it was under deception.
"I do not know what interest Mr Tonna has in spreading these false allegations. It is highly frustrating that we are seen as less credible than Mr Tonna, who is in jail", said Jörgen Haglind, senior vice president of communications at Tetra Pak.
