Cartel Conduct

Cartel conduct occurs when competing businesses agree to work together instead of competing freely, often to fix prices, limit production, divide markets, or rig bids. This behavior reduces competition, leading to higher prices, less innovation, and fewer choices for consumers. Essentially, a cartel acts like a secret partnership among rivals to control the market and maximize their profits, which is usually illegal and harmful to fair marketplace operations. Authorities regulate and penalize such conduct to maintain healthy competition and protect consumer interests.