Antitrust Policy

 

The Publishers Cooperative Antitrust Policy

1. Purpose and Guiding Principles

The Publishers Cooperative (TPC) is committed to conducting its business in full compliance with all applicable antitrust laws. These laws are designed to protect the competitive process and prevent business activities that could harm consumers or competition. This policy applies to all TPC members and their representatives, and it outlines our commitment to fair and legal conduct.

TPC’s collective activities are intended to enhance efficiency and competitiveness for our members, not to harm competition. All members must be familiar with and adhere to this policy.

2. Permissible Activities

TPC members CAN participate in the following activities, provided they do not lead to illegal collusion or restraint of trade:

  • Collective Bargaining and Procurement: TPC can collectively negotiate prices and terms with vendors, suppliers, and service providers. The purpose of these joint negotiations is to achieve better prices, terms, and quality than individual members could obtain on their own, thereby benefiting members and improving their ability to compete. This includes:
    • Jointly purchasing supplies, materials, or services.
    • Collective negotiation of terms with printers, distributors, or other industry partners.
  • Joint Activities to Achieve Efficiencies: TPC can engage in joint activities that reduce costs and improve efficiency for its members, such as:
    • Shared advertising and marketing campaigns.
    • Consolidated transportation, storage, or warehousing solutions.
    • Joint research and development initiatives.
    • Shared technology platforms or software development.

3. Prohibited Activities

TPC members CANNOT engage in activities that would violate antitrust laws. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Price Fixing: Do not discuss or agree with competitors (including other TPC members) on the prices to be charged for publications or services. This includes establishing minimum or maximum prices, setting uniform price changes, or agreeing on specific pricing formulas.
  • Market Allocation: Do not agree with competitors to divide markets, territories, customers, or product lines. Every member must be free to compete for any customer, in any territory, and in any market segment.
  • Bid Rigging: Do not coordinate bids or proposals with competitors. This includes agreeing to not bid, submitting a complementary bid, or taking turns as the low bidder.
  • Group Boycotts: Do not agree with competitors to refuse to do business with a particular supplier, customer, or other party.
  • Monopolization: Do not use TPC’s market power to monopolize or attempt to monopolize a market. This includes using anticompetitive tactics to exclude competitors or harm consumers.
  • Harm to Non-Members: Do not use TPC activities or information in a way that unreasonably harms non-members or prevents them from competing fairly in the marketplace.

4. Compliance and Reporting

  • Personal Responsibility: Each member is personally responsible for adhering to this policy and the principles of antitrust law. This responsibility extends to all discussions, communications, and collaborations, whether formal or informal, within TPC activities.
  • Reporting Violations: Any member who has knowledge of or suspects a violation of this policy must report it immediately to the TPC Executive Director at executive@thepublisherscooperative.com or to a board member. All reports will be handled confidentially and without fear of retaliation.

Approved by the Board of the Publishers Cooperative 9/12/2025.