
What are Antitrust Laws?
Antitrust law was developed as a response to the threat of monopolies. Historically, some companies grew to control entire industries effectively. In these instances, every step of the supply chain might be connected, allowing a single company to dominate the industry.
Monopolies are a threat to fair competition in the marketplace. The creation of monopolies can create an uneven playing field, as more wealth is concentrated in the hands of fewer entities. Monopolies shrink the options available to consumers.
Antitrust laws seek to break down monopolies and unfair business practices to foster equal opportunities for business growth and success.
Antitrust litigation involves investigating concerns such as monopoly leveraging, price-fixing or predatory pricing, unfair competition, and unfair and deceptive trade acts and practices. Antitrust litigation encourages diversification of holdings.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation
Beasley Allen is involved in specific antitrust litigation involving Blue Cross Blue Shield. Providers (hospitals, doctors, and other health care centers) and subscribers (policyholders) filed the lawsuit in 2013, alleging that the national insurance heavyweight violated antitrust laws when it divided its service areas.
In April 2018, U.S. District Judge David Proctor ruled that the case could proceed, saying there is evidence that may support the Plaintiffs’ claims. The case is divided into two tracts, one for providers and one for subscribers. Beasley Allen lawyers are developing the provider side of the case for trial.
The case involves 36 Blue Cross plans and at the heart of the case is whether an agreement among the different plans to provide service based on geography is legal. The Plans agree to provide health insurance coverage to subscribers within a certain geographic location and agree not to compete.
Examples of Antitrust Behavior
Monopoly Leveraging
Monopoly leveraging is defined as the use of monopoly power attained in one market to gain a competitive advantage in another. The definition of this term has been expanding as antitrust policy in general changes in force and complexity.
The area of law dealing with monopoly leveraging is usually applied in Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Courts have sometimes used monopoly leveraging to describe how monopolization is attempted or pursued.
Unfair Competition
Unfair competition falls under the area of law dealing with antitrust regulations. Unfair competition generally involves deceptive business practices that cause economic hardship to an individual, a group of individuals, or another business. Areas addressed in unfair competition legislation include fair competition, honesty in advertising, and trademark protections. These cases are usually civil in nature but may sometimes result in criminal charges.
Unfair competition laws may also define the circumstances under which damages may be recovered. Both consumers and competing businesses can claim damages.
Two main areas of unfair competition laws are unfair business practices and deliberate attempts to misrepresent a product. There are federal laws and regulations to protect against unfair competition, yet unfair competition claims continue to form the core complaint in antitrust litigation disputes.
Practices that might fall under unfair competition laws include:
- Trademark infringement
- False advertising
- Selling products by using bait-and-switch techniques
- Using similar packaging or a similar name to confuse customers into thinking they are buying a different product
- Misstating ingredients or appropriate product use
- Badmouthing the quality of the competitor’s product.
Unfair and Deceptive Trade Acts and Practices
Unfair business practices occur when a business acts to breaches the general consumer trust in such businesses. They can apply to many industries, from the obvious, such as in the purchase of various products and services, to less obvious cases, such as debt collection and tenancy matters.
Usually, matters classified as unfair business practices involve fraud, misrepresentation, or an act that by its commission alone implicates the business in having leveraged terms that are excessively unfair.
Unfair business practice laws are designed to protect consumers. Statutes generally define the type of act that qualifies as an unfair business practice and state the recommended remedy. Restitution is typically the result of a successful resolution, but an injunction to cease the practice in question is another possible outcome.
If the circumstances are particularly egregious, the court may mandate punitive damages or an injunction to cease operations altogether. Many jurisdictions require that anyone filing a claim for unfair business practices suffer some form of tangible financial damage.
Deceptive Trade Practices is a broad term encompassing unfair and injurious consumer practices. These may include false or deceptive advertising or other practices meant to mislead consumers to that consumer’s detriment. Deceptive trade practices are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Still, every state has consumer protection statutes that allow state attorneys, together with consumers, to file lawsuits over unfair consumer practices.
Bait and Switch
In antitrust litigation, the term “bait and switch” is commonly used when discussing a deceptive trade practice in retail sales. For instance, this term is applied when a retailer promises a customer one type of product or deal in its advertising. Still, when the customer visits the shop, the advertised deal is not available.
Generally, at this point, the customer is switched to a more expensive product. The logic is that the retailer lures in the customer with the “bait” of a great deal, then takes advantage of him when he’s already in the store and more likely to settle for something different than what was promised.
A bait-and-switch operation is a form of false or misleading advertising regulated by consumer protection statutes as fraud.
While most commonly seen in the retail sales industry, bait-and-switch tactics also can be found in the following instances:
- Employers who advertise a job opening that gives a misleading impression of duties, working conditions, or compensation
- Hotels that advertise a lower rate and tacking on hidden fees upon check-in
- Telecommunication Companies who offer services at an introductory price and then escalate the price drastically after that time period
- Contractors that add on extra fees above the service estimate
Contact an Antitrust Lawyer
We live by our creed of “helping those who need it most” and have helped thousands of clients get the justice they desperately needed and deserved. If you feel you have a case or have questions, contact our antitrust lawyers for a free consultation. There is no risk and no fees unless we win for you.
Related News
Beasley Allen Secures Over $1 Million in BJCTA Whistleblower Case
The lawsuit involved alleged violations of the False Claims Act, which allows private individuals to…
Securities Litigation to Watch in 2022
According to Law360’s breakdown of securities litigation to watch this year, the new year holds…
International Paper Co. Settles Supply-Fixing Lawsuit For $354 Million
International Paper Co. has agreed to pay $354 million to settle a class action lawsuit…