For Your Information
Public Access to Altria Group/JUUL Labs Trial Provided via Teleconference Due to ongoing COVID-19 Concerns
The administrative trial in the matter of Altria Group/JUUL Labs (D-9393) is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 10 a.m. ET, following a pretrial conference on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 2 p.m. ET. This type of proceeding usually takes place at the Federal Trade Commission’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., but this trial will be completely virtual in light of ongoing public health concerns. The trial will be open to the public, except for those sessions that the Chief Administrative Law Judge orders to be closed, or held in camera. The public will be able to access the proceeding via telephone conference, as follows:
Dialing instructions for pretrial conference:
Toll-Free: 844-291-4185
Access Code: 5137437
Dialing instructions for administrative trial:
Toll-Free: 844-291-4185
Access Code: 9802192
In April 2020, the FTC filed an administrative complaint alleging that Altria Group, Inc. and JUUL Labs, Inc. entered a series of agreements, including Altria’s acquisition of a 35% stake in JUUL, which eliminated competition in violation of federal antitrust laws. According to the complaint, this series of agreements involved Altria ceasing to compete in the U.S. market for closed-system electronic cigarettes, in return for a substantial ownership interest in JUUL – by far the dominant player in that market.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. You can learn more about how competition benefits consumers or file an antitrust complaint. For the latest news and resources, follow the FTC on social media, subscribe to press releases and read our blog.