# Competition Law? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competition-law/979745 "2023-02-13T23:25:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competition-law/979745/1 "2023-02-13T23:25:31Z")
I was wondering if anyone was aware of, or could give examples of big corporate mergers that resulted in lower prices or better deals for consumers. Thinking about airlines, telcos and pharmaceuticals, to name a few examples. It does not seem very obvious to me that these were successful for consumers. Of course, the law often suggests to suggest in practice that there may be the mere potential for consumer benefit. Has this been realized more than I think? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competition-law/979745/2 "2023-02-14T23:20:16Z")
(Crickets chirp. Bees buzz.) Reason I ask is that our competition people have recently broadened the idea not just to reflect prices but also consumer, innovation and the business environment. On one hand, the law seems very vague, unclear and arbitrary processes are bad for business. On the other hand, businesses sometimes consider bad behaviour a cost unless there are personal consequences, as an article in today’s Globe and Mail decries. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2023, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competition-law/979745/3 "2023-02-15T00:24:52Z")
> **[CRTC gets new policy direction to prioritize telecom competition, affordability](https://nationalpost.com/news/crtc-telecom-policy-competition-affordability)** > > The previous policy direction, which told the CRTC to 'rely on market forces to the maximum extent feasible,' has been removed > **[Opinion: The government is dragging criminal law into the Competition Act –...](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-the-government-is-dragging-criminal-law-into-the-competition-act-it/)** > > Criminal law isn’t always well suited for competition law enforcement; the government should not make the mistake of thinking that it is ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2023, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competition-law/979745/4 "2023-02-15T01:34:03Z")
(Laughs in Rogers/Bell/Telus)