United States: Cartels, Monopolies

State attorneys general in Florida and Louisiana have filed lawsuits against pharmacy benefit managers alleging collusion and price-fixing of reimbursement rates paid to retail and independent pharmacies. These cases represent a growing trend of states pursuing antitrust enforcement actions against PBMs for allegedly coordinating to suppress pharmacy reimbursements.

This comprehensive global antitrust roundup examines recent enforcement actions, investigations, and court decisions across multiple jurisdictions, including major U.S. litigation involving alleged price-fixing in casino hotels and sugar markets, Mexico's heightened scrutiny of the agri-food sector, and European Commission proceedings against construction chemical manufacturers. The analysis reveals emerging patterns in algorithmic pricing enforcement, vertical restraints, and sustainability-related competi

California's Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced Assembly Bill 1776, the COMPETE Act, which would significantly expand the state's antitrust regime to include single-firm conduct under the Cartwright Act. The committee removed the private right of action, limiting enforcement to public prosecutions, while incorporating several substantive amendments that narrow the bill's scope and raise the threshold for establishing viable claims.

The Department of Justice recently announced that Bayer CropScience voluntarily removed potentially anticompetitive provisions from its Premier Performance Program during an ongoing investigation. The program's tying arrangements and exclusivity incentives raised concerns about foreclosing competition in seed markets, highlighting critical antitrust risks that companies with loyalty programs should evaluate before facing enforcement scrutiny.

ast week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division (the Division) revealed criminal charges against China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Ltd. (CIMC)...

The Department of Justice Antitrust Division has intensified its prosecution of government contractors through its Procurement Collusion Strike Force, which has opened nearly 200 investigations since 2019. With a new whistleblower program generating a surge of leads and recent guilty pleas in bid-rigging schemes involving military contracts, contractors face heightened scrutiny and significant risks including jail time, debarment, and civil litigation.

A key theme of antitrust enforcement throughout 2025 has been a distinct focus on strategic sectors identified as critical for economic growth and supply chain resilience. As individuals and governments alike seek to reduce their expenditure, antitrust scrutiny has zeroed in on areas of importance to consumers and of significant public spending.

Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits "unfair methods of competition."Section 5, which has been endorsed by many as necessary to fill gaps in the Sherman Act, yet criticized by others as vague...

Directs the federal government to dismantle criminal cartels and transnational gangs operating in the Western Hemisphere, coordinate with allied governments...