Southern Glazer's Settles FTC Pricing Case, Accepts Six-Year Discount Restrictions

Southern Glazer's, the largest US liquor distributor, agreed to avoid charging small retailers significantly more than nearby chain stores to settle a Federal Trade Commission case, a senior FTC official said on October 2, 2026. The settlement, overseen by a monitor, subjects the company to penalties for six years if it gives large customers in 26 states materially better prices than independent stores nearby. The FTC sued Southern Glazer's in 2024, alleging violations of the Robinson-Patman Act, the 1936 law barring sellers from offering different prices for the same goods to different buyers. The agency targeted discounts available only to large customers, including Kroger and Total Wine & More. It was the FTC's first RPA enforcement action in decades, a priority for former Chair Lina Khan; current Chairman Andrew Ferguson voted against the suit, calling the case weak. Southern Glazer's has previously denied its discounts violate the law.