Antitrust Class Action Lawsuits
Antitrust class action lawsuits seek to hold corporations accountable for anticompetitive behavior and violations of federal and state antitrust laws. Competition benefits businesses and consumers, and violations of antitrust laws can drastically increase prices, harming consumers and other businesses alike. Groups of affected consumers can pursue claims against companies for anticompetitive behavior through class-action lawsuits.
- September 8, 2026
Common Types of Antitrust Violations
Some of the most common business practices that may result in antitrust class action lawsuits include price-fixing, monopolies, bid-rigging, and anticompetitive business agreements.
Price Fixing and Artificially Inflated Prices
Companies that coordinate prices or restrict competition may increase costs for consumers. Antitrust laws generally require each company to set its own prices based on supply and demand. Price fixing is any written, verbal, or implied agreement between two or more business competitors to raise, lower, or maintain prices to restrict competition. This often results in higher prices, and fines for price-fixing violations can be $100 million or more for companies.
Monopolies and Market Control
Companies that unfairly restrict competition or misuse market power may face federal antitrust action.
Bid Rigging and Unfair Contract Practices
Agreements between companies to manipulate competition, rig bids, or gain contracts unfairly can harm consumers, competitors, and other businesses.
Anticompetitive Business Agreements
Certain agreements between companies may limit consumer choice or prevent fair market competition. Business agreements that minimize competition or create monopolies are illegal under federal law.
Consumer Laws that Govern Antitrust Violations
There are several foundational federal and state antitrust statutes that empower plaintiffs to bring legal claims against corporate bad actors. The Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice enforces federal antitrust and competition laws prohibiting anticompetitive conduct and mergers that deprive consumers and workers of the benefits of competition.
The Sherman Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act prohibits conspiracies that unreasonably restrain trade. Agreements among competitors to fix prices or wages, rig bids, or allocate customers, workers, or markets are criminal violations. Other agreements, such as exclusive contracts that reduce competition, constitute civil violations. This act also makes it illegal to monopolize, or to conspire or attempt to monopolize, a market for products or services.
The Clayton Act
The Clayton Act promotes fair competition and prevents unfair business practices by prohibiting tying agreements, predatory pricing, and mergers that could lessen competition. Under the act, an illegal merger occurs when two companies join to substantially lessen competition or create a monopoly in a relevant market, potentially leading to higher prices or fewer choices for consumers. Predatory pricing occurs when companies set prices very low, often below cost, to drive competitors out of business before raising prices again.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act bans unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The act created the FTC in 1914 and gave it the power to stop unfair competition and trade practices, including false advertising, price-fixing, and more.
The Hart-Scott-Rodino Act
The Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act requires companies to submit premerger notifications to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice before completing certain large-scale mergers or acquisitions. It also establishes a mandatory waiting period, allowing antitrust regulators to evaluate potential anticompetitive effects of major mergers. The DOJ and FTC can challenge pending mergers under the HSR Act if they believe the merger would result in a monopoly or other antitrust violation.
The Robinson-Patman Act
The Robinson-Patman Act prohibits price discrimination in the sale of commodities where the effect of the discrimination may be anticompetitive. It bans price discrimination by making it illegal for sellers to charge competing buyers different prices for goods of like grade and quality when doing so hurts competition.
State-Level Antitrust and Unfair Competition Laws
Individual state statutes, such as California’s Cartwright Act, often provide broader consumer protections and additional avenues for recovery. The Cartwright Act allows California businesses and consumers to sue for antitrust violations and criminalizes third parties who assist with anticompetitive conduct. It is one of the most consequential statewide antitrust statutes in the country.
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How to Know If You Qualify for an Antitrust Claim
Consumers, workers, and businesses may have antitrust claims when unlawful conduct causes injury to their businesses or property, such as higher prices, wage suppression, or lost business opportunities. Eligibility depends on the conduct involved, the connection between that conduct and the loss, whether federal or state law applies, and—in federal damages cases—whether the plaintiff purchased directly from the alleged violator. Proceeding as a class also requires the court to determine that the applicable class-action requirements are satisfied.
What Should You Do If You Are Affected by an Antitrust Violation?
If you believe you or your business has been affected by an antitrust violation, there are several steps you can take to seek damages for harm caused by anticompetitive conduct.
- Gather relevant records and documentation: Save all receipts, purchase records, contracts, communications, and other information related to potential losses.
- Research existing antitrust class actions: Affected individuals can determine whether current lawsuits or investigations may involve their situation. Check our active news feed to see if there is an existing action involving the company that harmed you.
- Understand your legal options: Learn more about your rights and legal options after being harmed by antitrust violations by speaking with a class action lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Antitrust Class Actions
How Much Does It Cost to Join an Antitrust Class Action Lawsuit?
In most class action lawsuits, lawyers take cases on a contingency-fee basis, with legal fees covered by settlements or paid by the defendant. This means there is no up-front cost to join an antitrust class action.
How Long Do Antitrust Class Action Lawsuits Take to Resolve?
There’s no set timeline for an antitrust class action lawsuit, but it’s common for complex corporate antitrust cases to span two to three years or more.
How Much Money Can You Receive from an Antitrust Class Action Lawsuit?
Compensation in an antitrust class action lawsuit can vary greatly depending on settlement terms, individual damages, eligibility, taxes, and other circumstances. There is no guaranteed compensation.
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