Pricing Under Pressure: Prepare For Enhanced Antitrust Scrutiny Amid Tariff Uncertainty

In an era of increased tariff pressures, U.S. antitrust enforcers have signaled that they remain vigilant for attempts by businesses to exploit the situation through anticompetitive conduct, especially in sectors already strained by supply shocks, volatile input costs, and shifting demand patterns.

Roger Alford, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, recently emphasized the need for competition authorities to remain vigilant for signs of collusion and manipulation of dynamic pricing models, particularly as companies adjust to heightened tariff levels. He warned that the imposition of trade barriers — such as tariffs that could reduce competition from abroad — can lead to market concentration, reducing the number of active suppliers and thereby increasing the risk of coordinated pricing or supply restrictions.