Comparative Study of Resale Price Mantenance in Iranian and American Law

Document Type : basic

Author

Assistant Professor in Private Law, Social Sciences Faculty, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

10.30473/jier.2025.68663.1407

Abstract

Distribution agreements may contain restrictive clauses that have economic implications affecting market competition. One such clause is resale price maintenance, which goods suppliers often employ to increase profits. By introducing vertical restraints in the market, this condition can disrupt competition and is generally met with opposition. Of course, in some cases, such as goods related to health and culture, it benefits consumer and increases efficiency. Questions are raised in this regard, such as: what is the nature of this condition and what are the consequences of using it? Which approach to this condition compatible with the interests of society? The Iranian legislator, by announcing the inherent prohibition of determining the resale prices, does not recognize any positive effects for it, but in the U.S. legal system, the validity of this condition is examined under the rule of reasonableness. Comparing these two approaches makes it very difficult to answer the question that which one is more accurate, and despite the economists’ efforts to justify the positive consequences of this condition, there is a hostile approach toward it.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Babaei, iraj. (1386). "Theoretical foundations of economic analysis of law". Research on law and politics. 9(23), 13-60. (In Persian)
Dertwinkel, K. Markus. & Wey, Christian. (2021). "Multi-Product Pricing and Minimum Resale Price Maintenance". Climate Economics, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, Kiel, Hamburg. Journal Article published in SSRN Electronic Journal.
Eldridge, B, William. (2000). "The Rule of Reason in Antitrust Analysis: General Issues". Federal Judicial Center Work Paper. 1- 55.
Ghasemi, Mohsen. (1398). "Explaining the General Rules for the Distribution Agreements Formation with Respect to the Competition Law". Private Law Research. 7(26), 243-270. (In Persian)
Doi: 10.22054/jplr.2018.25207.1649
Han, Jong Wong. & Buts, Caroline. & Joris, Tony. (2018). "On the Scope of Antitrust Law in South Korea, the EU and the US: Comparing the Interpretation of ‘Agreement’ and ‘Illegality". European Competition and Regulatory Law Review. 2, 2, 74 - 91.
Doi: org/10.21552/core/2018/2/4
Henderson, James, Mitchell. & Quant, Richard, E. (1958). "Microeconomic Theory: A Mathematical Approach": USA: McGrow-Hill Book Company.
Hovenkamp, Herbert. (2018). "The Rule of Reason": Florida Law Review, 70, .80-167.
Howard, P. Marvel. & Stephen, McCafferty. (2014). "Resale Price Maintenance and Quality Certification". The RAND Journal of Economics, 15(3). 346-359.
Jafarzadeh, Mirghasem. & Ansari, Abbas. (2015). "Vertical Agreements from Competition Law Perspective". Private Law Research. 2(7). 73-98. (In Persian)
Jaswal, Ananta. (2020). "Resale Price Maintanance - A Beneficial Tool or a Hardcore Restriction of Competition?": Published in SSRN Electron ic Journal. Doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3551048
John, S. Heywood. & Shiqiang, Wang. & Guangliang, Ye. (2018). "Resale price maintenance and spatial price discrimination". International Journal of Industrial Organization, 57(c), 147-174.
Doi: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2018.02.001
Khodad Kashi, Farhad. & Mikaeeli, Seyedeh Vajihe. (1403) "Examining Competition and Monopoly Power in the Industrial Sector: a Case Study of Bbasic Metals, Motor Vehicles and Chemical Products". Industrial Economics Researches. 8(28), 1-16. (In Persian)
Doi: 10.30473/jier.2025.71955.1463
Lester, G. Telser. (1960). "Why should manufactures want fair trade?". Journal of law and economics, 3(1), 86-105.
Maurice, E. Stucke. (2009), "Does the Rule of Reason Violate the Rule of Law?". University Califonia Davis Law Review. 22, 5, 15-27.
Nasehi, Ali. & Issaei Tafreshi, Mohammad. & Parsapour, M, Bagher. & Khodadad Khshi, Farhad. (2016). "Explaining the Competition Law in Terms of the Principle of 'No Harm' and Comparing the Effects of Different Perceptions of on This Principle". Comparative Law Research. 20(4). 165-186. (In Persian)
Nazemi, Ali. & Ghaderi, Seyedfarid. & Tojar, Sakineh. (2022). "The Effect of Price Elasticity on Demand Response Program Modeling in the Smart Power Grid". Industrial Economics Researches. 5(17), 29-44. (In Persian)
Doi: 10.30473/indeco.2022.8354
Nili, masoud. (1395). "Fundamentals of Economics". (12) Tehran. Publisher: Ney. (In Persian)
Roger, D. Blair. & Haynes, Jessica, S. (2010). "The plight of online retailers in the aftermath of Leegin: An economic analysis". The Antitrust Bulletin, 55(1), 245-269.
Doi:org/10.1177/0003603X1005500109
Roger, D. Blair. & Joseph, Whitman. (2018). "Resale price maintenance: A managerial perspective". Managerial and Decision Economics, 39(7), 751-760. Doi: 10.1002/mde.2920
Roger, D. Blair. & Wenche, Wang. (2017). "Resale Price Maintenance: An Economic Analysis of its Anticompetitive Potential". Review of Industrial Organization. 50(2), 153-168.
Doi: org/10.1007/s11151-016-9559-3
Ten, Kate, Adriaan. (2016). "Hundred Years Rule of Reason versus Rule of Law". Electronic Journal. SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2795797.
Doi: org/10.2139/ssrn.2795797
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2008) "The effects of anti-competitive business practices on developing countries and their development prospects". UNITED NATIONS. New York and Geneva. With effort Editors: Hassan Qaqaya & George Lipimile.
Vakili Moghadam, Mohammad Hosein. (1389)."Anti-competitive agreements". Tehran. Publisher: Ketb-e Hamegan. (In Persian)