DOJ Warns Businesses Against Price Fixing Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

DOJ Warns Businesses Against Price Fixing Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
A pharmacy worker sells N95 face masks in the Manhattan borough of New York City, on Feb. 27, 2020. Carlo Allegri/Reuters
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The Justice Department (DOJ) has warned that it plans to hold businesses accountable if they attempt to violate antitrust laws because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The department has cautioned that individuals and companies who fix prices or rig bids on items such as sterile gloves, protective masks, and other personal protective equipment could face criminal prosecution. It also warned against allocating consumers of public health products among competitors.