FTC Settles with Southern Glazer's over Claim It Discriminated Against Smaller Alcohol Sellers
The deal sets six years of oversight and penalties if Southern Glazer’s gives big customers better prices than nearby independent stores, the FTC said.
- On Friday, the Federal Trade Commission settled a case with Southern Glazer's, the nation's largest liquor distributor, over allegations of discriminatory pricing favoring large retailers.
- The case invoked the 1936 Robinson-Patman Act, which prohibits sellers from offering different prices for the same goods to different buyers, aiming to level the playing field between independent shops and major chains like Walmart, Costco, and Kroger.
- An independent monitor will oversee the settlement for six years across 26 states, ensuring Southern Glazer's does not provide preferential pricing to large customers; the company, which generated $26 billion in 2023, must provide detailed records twice annually.
- Current FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said Friday he initially opposed the lawsuit, believing cost differences were justified, though he stated the settlement represents the "best outcome for all parties."
- Southern Glazer's chief legal and compliance officer Alan Greenspan noted the company "did not violate" the Robinson-Patman Act, resolving the case without admitting wrongdoing while continuing to distribute one out of every three bottles of spirits in the U.S.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Chicago Tribune
Durango HeraldFTC settles with Southern Glazer’s over claim it discriminated against smaller alcohol sellers
The agency sued Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits in December 2024 after finding it didn’t give smaller stores access to the discounts and rebates it offered larger stores like Total Wine, Walmart and Kroger, even when stores were within a few blocks of each other.
FTC settles with Southern Glazer’s over claim it discriminated against smaller alcohol sellers – WTOP News
The Federal Trade Commission said Friday it settled with the largest U.S. distributor of wines and spirits over claims that it was discriminating against small and independent businesses. The agency sued Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits in December 2024 after finding it didn’t give smaller stores access to the discounts and rebates it offered larger...
FTC settles with Southern Glazer's over claim it discriminated ag
The Federal Trade Commission said Friday it settled with the largest U.S. distributor of wines and spirits over claims that it was discriminating against small and independent businesses. The agency sued Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits in
Ottumwa Courier
FTC settles with Southern Glazer's over claim it discriminated against smaller alcohol sellers
The Federal Trade Commission has settled with Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits over claims of discrimination against small businesses. The FTC sued the distributor in December 2024, alleging it favored larger stores like Walmart and Kroger with discounts not offered…
Southern Glazer’s agrees to pricing restrictions in FTC settlement, official says - Regional Media News
By Jody Godoy Oct 2 (Reuters) - Southern Glazer's, the largest US liquor distributor that carries name brands like Bacardi and Smirnoff, has agreed not to charge small retailers significantly more than nearby chain stores to settle a US Federal Trade Commission case, a senior [...]
Southern Glazer’s agrees to pricing restrictions in FTC settlement, official says
By Jody Godoy Oct 2 (Reuters) - Southern Glazer's, the largest US liquor distributor that carries name brands like Bacardi and Smirnoff, has agreed not to charge small retailers significantly more than nearby chain stores to settle a US Federal Trade ...
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