General Mills and Mars Sue United Sugar Over Alleged Price Fixing from 2017 to 2024
Big chocolate and cereal makers claim sugar producers conspired for years to inflate prices by sharing confidential information.
General Mills, Mars, and another demandant filed an antitrust lawsuit in a federal court in Chicago on Friday. They accuse United Sugar, the ASR Group owner of Domino, and other major US sugar producers of coordinating illegal price hikes between 2017 and 2024. The plaintiffs alleged these manufacturers paid billions of dollars for granulated sugar through an intermediary to stabilize or control costs. This involved sharing sensitive competitive information directly with the goal of influencing sector pricing. A lawsuit states antitrust laws forbid competitors from exchanging such confidential data. Brands like Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Cheerios, and Snickers are among the companies buying the ingredient during the alleged scheme.
