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
Since the publication of “Rum and Coke: The FTC Targets Soft Drinks and Alcohol in the Revival of Robinson-Patman Act Enforcement–What’s Next?”, new developments have continued to shape the enforcement landscape of the...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
The Robinson-Patman Act (RPA) has been generating a lot of buzz, with private lawsuits and high-profile moves by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). But two developments last month may signal that the RPA may be slipping back...more
Companies in a wide range of industries commonly develop incentive programs for vendors, including preferred vendor or loyalty programs, to increase sales or establish loyalty. Acceptance of the terms and conditions of these...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
In a precedent-setting opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Aerotec International, Inc. v. Honeywell International, Inc., No. 14-15562, 2016 WL 4709868 (9th Cir. Sept. 9, 2016), affirmed the summary...more