A US appeals court has reinstated a 1999 jury verdict that 3M illegally monopolised the transparent tape market with its Scotch brand. The court ruled that 3M must pay $68.4 million to LePage Inc, maker of private-label transparent tape that claimed a 3M rebate programme caused serious harm to consumers. 3M will look for a review of the appellate court ruling.
LePage filed an antitrust lawsuit in 1997, claiming that 3M tried to monopolise the transparent tape market with a multi-tiered rebate programme giving customers higher rebates when they purchased products from a number of 3M product lines. At that time a jury ruled in favour of LePage.
27-Mar-2003
