Court sides with Volvo in U.S. antitrust case

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The United States Supreme Court has issued a ruling in favour of Volvo Trucks North America in a dispute with one of its dealers regarding competitive pricing practices.

In its interpretation of the Robinson-Patman Act in the case of Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. v. Reeder-Simco GMC, Inc., the court upheld and affirmed the practice of competitive pricing in the heavy-duty truck industry. The justices voted 7-2 in favour of Volvo. The case was initiated by a dealer who argued against Volvo Trucks North America’s practice of evaluating specific potential truck sale transactions to meet specific competitive circumstances, the company says.

“Competitive pricing fosters competition by giving each seller the opportunity to respond to specific situations by offering lower prices to dealers in order to secure sales to end customers,” said Peter Karlsten, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks North America in a press release. “The court’s opinion is a clear statement of the validity, fairness, and legality of pricing practices used throughout the heavy-duty truck industry, and in many other industries that rely on competitive, commercial sales policies. These practices create and foster competition that leads to lower prices not just for our customers, but for consumers of many other commercial goods.”

Volvo’s position in the case, which has broad implications beyond the heavy-duty truck industry, was supported by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Volvo assembles its Volvo VT, VN and VHD trucks in the U.S., at the New River Valley Plant in Dublin, Va.