The Federal Trade Commission on Friday sued PepsiCo in a last-minute blitz of lawsuits before the end of the Biden administration, alleging that the beverage giant forced many consumers to pay higher prices by giving Walmart unfair pricing advantages.

The FTC is suing PepsiCo for allegedly rigging the market by offering “unfair pricing advantages” that can contribute to inflation.

A lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission alleges that food and beverage maker PepsiCo engaged in illegal price discrimination by giving unfair price advantages to one big-box retailer.

"Much of Walmart’s market dominance can be attributed to its use of this illegal and anti-competitive tactic," says Stacy Mitchell

The lawsuit, filed on 17 January 2025, contends that PepsiCo's preferential treatment of a retailer constituted a breach of the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a legislation designed to protect fair competition by prohibiting anticompetitive price discrimination.

Walmart declined to comment. “The FTC’s action will help ensure all grocers and other businesses — no matter the size — can get a fair shake and compete on the merits of their skill, efficiency, and talent,” outgoing FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a ...

Walmart is the unnamed retailer, people familiar with the matter told CNBC. The FTC alleges Pepsi violated the Robinson-Patman Act, which bars sellers from giving competing buyers different prices for the same “commodity” or selectively providing ...

The Federal Trade Commission on Friday filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo, Inc., alleging the company engaged in illegal price discrimination by giving an unnamed "large, big box" retailer unfair pricing advantages, while raising prices for others.

The commission alleges that the retailer, whose name was redacted in the statement from commissioners, received “unfair pricing advantages” that were not made available to others.

The US Federal Trade Commission sued PepsiCo Inc. Friday under a rarely invoked 1930s law called the Robinson-Patman Act that bars price discrimination against retailers.

The FTC has filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo, accusing it of illegal price discrimination by giving preferential pricing to Walmart, disadvantaging other retailers and customers. PepsiCo disputes these allegations,

According to the FTC’s complaint, Pepsi has been providing unfair pricing advantages to one of its largest customers—a major big box retailer—while raising prices for competing retailers and customers. Reuters reports that the retailer is none other than Walmart Inc. WMT , citing a source familiar with the discussions.