FTC Forces Pricing Changes in Gildan, S&S Wholesale T-Shirt Deal
The FTC secured amendments to a partnership between Gildan Activewear and S&S Holdings to prevent discriminatory pricing that could harm small businesses.
The Federal Trade Commission announced it has obtained changes to a commercial partnership agreement between T-shirt manufacturer Gildan Activewear SRL and wholesale distributor S&S Holdings LLC, citing concerns that the arrangement could subject small businesses and consumers to unfair, discriminatory pricing practices.
The agency's action represents a continued push to enforce the Robinson-Patman Act, a decades-old antitrust law that prohibits suppliers from offering different prices to competing buyers without a legitimate justification. The FTC's intervention signals that regulators are prepared to apply the law to modern wholesale distribution arrangements in the apparel sector.
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Gildan Activewear is a major manufacturer of blank T-shirts widely used in the decorated-apparel and promotional products industries, while S&S Holdings operates as a significant wholesale distributor serving businesses of varying sizes. The FTC's concern centered on whether their partnership terms could disadvantage smaller buyers relative to larger, more powerful competitors.
By securing modifications to the agreement rather than pursuing lengthy litigation, the FTC moved to swiftly restore competitive conditions in the wholesale T-shirt supply chain. The agency has increasingly framed Robinson-Patman Act enforcement as a tool to level the playing field between large and small retailers and distributors, consistent with broader Biden-era antitrust priorities.
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