Described as the Rodney Dangerfield of the antitrust laws, the Robinson-Patman Act—which prohibits anticompetitive price discrimination—gets no respect. The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission unapologetically refuse to enforce the Act, and the FTC has called for its repeal. Courts often treat the Act with undisguised disdain; one court (quoting a law review article) … Continue Reading
With or without changes, Robinson-Patman is here to stay For the first time in 22 years, the Federal Trade Commission seeks public input into whether the Guides for Advertising Allowances and Other Merchandising Payments and Services – a/k/a the “Fred Meyer Guides” – should be updated, retained in their current state, or eliminated. The Guides … Continue Reading
