How does antitrust law protect consumers?

Antitrust law protects consumers by preventing monopolies and keeping market competition open. This ensures that companies are competing against each other to offer the best prices, quality, and services. It stops one company from becoming too powerful and stops them from taking advantage of consumers. Antitrust law encourages competition, which helps to make sure that businesses are not overcharging customers. Without antitrust law, monopolies could be formed in which one company has too much control of a market and could charge unreasonably high prices. In Washington, the Antitrust Act of 1880 makes it illegal for companies to make agreements that restrain trade or reduce competition. The Washington State Attorney General enforces these laws. They investigate complaints to see if the agreement is an illegal restraint of trade or does not promote competition. If a company is found to be in violation, the Attorney General can take legal action to stop the company from engaging in the conduct. Moreover, antitrust law prohibits companies from engaging in unfair or deceptive practices. This protects consumers from false advertising and from companies that may attempt to make a monopoly by engaging in “predatory pricing”—charging prices that are too low and can only be sustained if the competition is eliminated. In summary, antitrust law helps to protect consumers by ensuring that market competition remains open and that companies can’t overcharge customers by forming a monopoly or by engaging in unfair or deceptive practices.

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How does antitrust law protect consumers?

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