Last Updated
Case Status
Closed
In the Matter of Altria Group, Inc., a corporation; and JUUL Labs, Inc., a corporation.
FTC Matter/File Number
191 0075
Docket Number
9393
Enforcement Type
Part 3 Administrative Complaints
Case Summary
The Federal Trade Commission 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, that 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. In an initial decision announced on Feb. 24, 2022, Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell dismissed the antitrust charges in the complaint.