U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is urging federal regulators to step up enforcement of a decades-old law aimed at protecting small and mid-sized businesses from discriminatory pricing.
Grassley, along with South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds, sent a letter to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, calling for renewed enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act. The law is designed to prevent large companies from using their market power to secure unfair pricing advantages over smaller competitors.
The senators say small and medium-sized businesses, particularly local grocers and agricultural operations, are facing growing challenges accessing products at competitive prices. They argue that enforcement would help restore fairness and protect consumers’ access to essential goods.
The effort has drawn support from the National Grocers Association and Iowa-based Fareway Stores. Fareway Stores President Garrett Piklapp says independent grocers are often disadvantaged by pricing practices that favor large national chains.
