Bloomberg Law is reporting that “Barnes & Noble Education Inc., McGraw-Hill Global Education Holdings LLC, and other leading textbook publishers and retailers were hit with an antitrust lawsuit in Delaware federal court Thursday claiming they’re trying to drive independent college bookstores out of the market for online course materials.”
According to the class action lawsuit filed, “They disguised their anti-competitive actions as technological advancements, but that was not their true purpose or effect. The conspiracy’s end goal and result is eliminating competitors and raising prices.”
The proposed class action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware by a group of independent off-campus bookstores.
Cause of Action: Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act; section 16 of the Clayton Act; the Robinson-Patman Act; various state antitrust, unjust enrichment, unfair competition, and price discrimination laws.
Relief: Class certification, an injunction, treble damages, costs, fees, and interest.
The independent campus bookstores are represented by Steckler Wayne & Love PLLC and the case is Campus Book Co. v. McGraw-Hill Glob. Educ. Holdings, LLC, D. Del., No. 20-cv-102, complaint filed 1/23/20.
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