The Trader Harbor
  • Business
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Stocks
  • Business
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Stocks

The Trader Harbor

Business

FTC drops Biden-era suit accusing Pepsi of price discrimination

by admin May 24, 2025
May 24, 2025
FTC drops Biden-era suit accusing Pepsi of price discrimination

The Federal Trade Commission voted to dismiss a lawsuit filed in the last days of the Biden administration that accused PepsiCo of offering sweetheart pricing to big retailers.

FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson dissented to the suit when it was filed in January, when he was one of the regulator’s commissioners. Now the agency’s leader, Ferguson on Thursday again criticized the case as “a nakedly political effort to commit this administration to pursuing little more than a hunch that Pepsi had violated the law.”

“The FTC’s outstanding staff will instead get back to work protecting consumers and ensuring a fair and competitive business environment,” he said in a statement.

The FTC voted 3-0 to drop the suit. The panel is supposed to be made up of five commissioners, no more than three of whom can share the same political party. But it is currently led by three Republicans after President Donald Trump fired its two Democratic commissioners in March. The two ousted officials have slammed their removals as illegal and are urging a judge to reinstate them.

Pepsi welcomed the FTC decision Thursday. “PepsiCo has always and will continue to provide all customers with fair, competitive, and non-discriminatory pricing, discounts and promotional value,” a spokesperson said in a statement. Beyond its namesake soda, the company makes an array of snacks and other food products, including Doritos, Rold Gold pretzels and Sabra hummus.

Former FTC Chair Lina Khan, who led the commission when the agency brought its case against Pepsi, criticized the move Thursday as “disturbing behavior” by the agency.

“This lawsuit would’ve protected families from paying higher prices at the grocery store and stopped conduct that squeezes small businesses and communities across America,” she wrote on X Thursday evening. “Dismissing it is a gift to giant retailers as they gear up to hike prices.”

The decision comes little more than a week after top-ranking Democrats on Capitol Hill sent a letter to Pepsi demanding more information about its pricing strategy. They sought to revive a Biden-era focus on price-gouging as a driver of inflation, an argument that has taken a back seat to the Trump administration’s attention on purportedly unfair trade arrangements.

But major corporations continue to draw scrutiny from the White House over pricing in other ways. Last weekend, Trump slammed Walmart for warning that it was likely to raise prices to offset the costs of his import taxes, demanding on social media that it “EAT THE TARIFFS.”

In the days since then, other major consumer brands have appeared to tread cautiously around pricing. Target said Wednesday that charging customers more would be its “very last resort.” Home Depot virtually ruled out price hikes this week, and Lowe’s barely mentioned tariff impacts in its Wednesday earnings call at all.

CORRECTION (May 22, 2025, 8:45 p.m. ET): Due to an editing error, a previous version of this article misstated when congressional Democrats sent their letter to Pepsi. It was on May 11, not last weekend.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Trump clears Nippon merger with U.S. Steel
next post
Trump unleashes US nuclear renaissance with bold executive orders

Related Posts

Lucid CEO says Wall Street misinterpreted $1.75 billion...

October 23, 2024

Burger King targets families through movie partnerships in...

May 23, 2025

Elon Musk, Tesla, Warner Bros. Discovery sued over...

October 23, 2024

Shaking seats and piped-in fog: How 4DX is...

May 29, 2024

Art created autonomously by AI can’t be copyrighted,...

March 21, 2025

Procter & Gamble to cut 7,000 jobs as...

June 14, 2025

Reddit targets international users for ad growth, teases...

November 28, 2024

Nvidia’s CEO did a Q&A with analysts. What...

March 23, 2025

Warren Buffett — worried about impersonators — says...

October 24, 2024

In a reversal, Disney’s media assets are starting...

August 9, 2024

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Latest

    • The Real Drivers of This Market: AI, Semis & Robotics

      August 31, 2025
    • S&P 500 Breaking Out Again: What This Means for Your Portfolio

      August 31, 2025
    • Epstein estate to hand over ‘birthday book’ to lawmakers, House Dem says

      August 31, 2025
    • Dyan Cannon denied White House entry after lying about her age on passport documents

      August 31, 2025
    • Israel eliminates Houthi prime minister in Yemen airstrike targeting senior government officials

      August 31, 2025
    • Sen. Bernie Sanders calls on RFK Jr. to resign following departure of CDC officials

      August 31, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (1,370)
    • Politics (4,370)
    • Stocks (1,619)
    • Uncategorized (45)
    • World News (1,363)
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: TheTraderHarbor, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 thetraderharbor.com | All Rights Reserved