Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices - The FTC may have buried a case alleging PepsiCo and Walmart colluded to rig grocery prices, inflating costs for Walmart's competitors [1] - PepsiCo allegedly policed and punished grocery chains that competed with Walmart on Pepsi products [1] - Pepsi's soft drink prices soared 67% since 2019, outpacing the general grocery price increase of over 35% [1] - Trump's Department of Justice announced a settlement with Real Page, accused of helping corporate landlords coordinate rent hikes [8] - Nine states refused to sign on to the settlement between the DOJ and Real Page [15] Company Statements and Market Share - PepsiCo took in $92 billion last year [1] - Walmart controls more than 20% of the US grocery market [1][3] - Walmart spokesperson stated their commitment to negotiating on behalf of customers to deliver value and everyday low prices [2] - Pepsi spokesperson claimed the FTC complaint included inaccuracies and unsubstantiated allegations [3] Government Actions and Criticisms - Trump's FTC chair, Andrew Ferguson, dropped the antitrust case against PepsiCo and Walmart [1] - Ferguson dismissed the investigation as purely political, claiming no evidence of corporate abuse [6] - Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater called the settlement with Real Page a victory for consumers [12]

Group 1 - The Trump administration has signed an executive order to establish food supply chain security task forces to investigate potential risks from price fixing and anti-competitive behavior [1][2] - The task forces will be formed by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to assess whether foreign-controlled companies are increasing living costs for Americans and posing national security threats [2][5] - The task forces will investigate food-related industries for anti-competitive practices and the impact of foreign control on food prices in the U.S. [6][8] Group 2 - President Trump emphasized the importance of an affordable and secure food supply for national and economic security, highlighting threats from anti-competitive behavior by foreign corporations [8] - Certain companies in the American food supply chain have previously settled civil suits for price fixing, indicating vulnerabilities in sectors such as meat processing, seed, fertilizer, and equipment [8] - The task forces are required to report their findings and potential congressional actions to key congressional leaders within 180 days and again within 365 days of the order [10]