The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending mixed messages about how aggressively it intends to enforce the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA). During the Biden administration, the agency filed its first two RPA complaints in over...more
A federal court in Massachusetts recently dismissed holistic wellness centers’ price discrimination suit against the manufacturer of body sculpting devices initiated after Plaintiffs withdrew from the manufacturer’s...more
A federal court in California recently rejected federal and state antitrust price discrimination claims brought by several wholesalers of 5-hour Energy drinks, finding that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate competitive...more
A federal court in Illinois granted Juul Labs, Inc. and HS Wholesale, Ltd.’s motion to dismiss Power Buying Dealers USA, Inc.’s claims of price discrimination. Power Buying Dealers USA, Inc. v. Juul Labs, Inc., 2025 WL...more
On May 22, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voluntarily dismissed its case against PepsiCo alleging price discrimination in violation of the Robinson-Patman Act. Federal Trade Commission v. PepsiCo, Inc.,...more
On May 28, 2025, the United States District Court for the Central District of California held that plaintiffs failed to prove that they incurred an antitrust injury flowing from the differential promotional allowances...more
Building upon developing momentum in the courts and among commentators, government enforcers and the private bar have seen recent successes in litigation involving the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA). The FTC in April notched a win...more
On April 17, 2025, a federal district court denied a motion to dismiss the first government enforcement action brought in decades under the Robinson-Patman Act (“RPA”), a statute that prohibits price discrimination and other...more
Happy Saturday from Seattle . . . Our Online Travel Update for the week ending Friday, March 14, 2025, is below. What started as a relatively quiet week in the travel industry (other than the concerning reports from several...more
The Federal Trade Commission recently sued PepsiCo, Inc. alleging that the company engaged in illegal price discrimination by providing a large retailer with unfair pricing advantages in violation of the Robinson-Patman Act....more
This month, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) filed its much-anticipated lawsuit against Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, LLC (“Southern Glazer’s”), alleging the alcohol distributor violated the Robinson-Patman Act...more
On December 12, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed its first Robinson-Patman Act case in more than 20 years, just as the White House is set to change parties and the balance of power on the FTC will swing...more
In the waning days of the current administration, the antitrust agencies continue to cross items off their holiday wish list. Since the presidential election in November, the antitrust agencies have filed a new merger...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently filed a complaint in federal court alleging Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits LLC (Southern Glazer) violated the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a price discrimination law....more
In a 3-2 party-line vote (Democratic majority), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for the first time in decades filed an action alleging secondary line price discrimination under the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA). The FTC's...more
On December 12, 2024, following a nearly two-year-long investigation, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) initiated its first litigation under the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA) in more than two decades. The FTC sued Southern...more
On the eve of a new administration, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed its first price-discrimination action under the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA) since 2000. The FTC sued Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits LLC in US...more
On December 12, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, LLC (Southern) in the Central District of California for alleged price discrimination, initiating the first federal government...more
On December 12, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) filed a lawsuit against Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, the largest distributor of wine and spirits in the U.S., alleging that Southern Glazer’s has violated the...more
California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert highlighting Assembly Bill 1287, which prohibits businesses from charging different prices for substantially similar products based solely on gender, a practice...more
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in a company’s work processes is not new. AI has automated, innovated, and optimized a business’s processes and outcomes. In recent years, tech firms and consultants have been touting...more
Introduction A recent ruling condemning price discrimination for a popular eye drop brand is yet another reminder that companies cannot afford to ignore antitrust risk under the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a longstanding law...more
Retailers today have grown increasingly sophisticated in how they collect and use sales data and price their merchandise to optimize sales, revenue, and profits, using that information in conjunction with digital marketing...more
The rumors of the death of price discrimination enforcement may have been greatly exaggerated. The Robinson-Patman Act (“RPA”) (15 U.S.C. §13), enacted in 1936, prohibits price discrimination by producers and resellers of...more
On May 20, 2024, US District Court Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald rejected a popular over-the-counter eyedrop seller’s bid for a new trial and granted a pricing injunction impacting two large wholesale membership clubs following...more