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Grocers, Small Businesses Demand Fair Competition in Letters to Trump, Harris

By  |  September 29, 2024

According to a Livestock News report, the National Grocers Association (NGA), which represents independent grocery stores, is playing a significant role in the Mainstream Competition Coalition (MSCC), a group that is urging presidential candidates to adopt policies that support stronger antitrust enforcement. The coalition, comprised of small businesses and agricultural producers, has sent letters to Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, pressing them to take action to prevent anti-competitive practices that harm small and medium-sized enterprises.

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    The MSCC’s call to action focuses on reviving enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a 90-year-old law that prohibits price discrimination, which the coalition believes has been largely ignored for decades. “For nearly 40 years, Robinson-Patman enforcement was abandoned, allowing monopolist firms to leverage their economic power to insulate themselves from competition,” said Chris Jones, the NGA’s chief government relations officer, in the release cited by Livestock News.

    Read more: FTC Lawyers Wrap Up Arguments to Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger

    Jones emphasized that the unchecked consolidation of industries has led to fewer choices and higher prices for millions of American consumers. He argued that if presidential candidates wish to improve the financial wellbeing of families and small businesses, they must commit to bolstering antitrust laws, ensuring fair competition for businesses of all sizes.

    Per a Livestock News report, the coalition’s letter also highlighted recent efforts by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to crack down on anti-competitive practices, including the agency’s historic lawsuit targeting pharmacy benefit managers. The MSCC considers this a positive development, but insists that much more needs to be done.

    “Just the threat of enforcement is beginning to have a positive impact for some MSCC members,” the letter stated, adding that more aggressive action is needed to restore competition across various industries.

    The Mainstream Competition Coalition’s message comes at a pivotal time, as small and medium-sized businesses continue to face significant challenges from large, consolidated corporations. By urging candidates to prioritize antitrust reform, the coalition hopes to shift the economic landscape in favor of more equitable competition.

    Source: Livestock News report