Exclusive: India probes fragrance giants Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF over deals not to poach workers - Reuters

India's competition authority is investigating three major fragrance companies — Givaudan, Firmenich, and IFF — for allegedly entering agreements not to recruit each other's workers, according to Reuters. Such non-poaching deals between competitors can restrict worker mobility and potentially suppress wages, making them a focus of antitrust enforcement globally. The probe suggests Indian regulators are scrutinizing labor market practices in the specialty chemicals and fragrance sector, where talent competition is intense. The investigation could result in penalties if the companies are found to have violated India's competition laws, which prohibit cartels and anti-competitive agreements. This marks the latest enforcement action targeting non-poaching arrangements, a practice that has drawn regulatory attention in the United States and Europe in recent years.