High Court clarifies 'by object' restrictions under the Competition Act regarding price-fixing.

The High Court ruled that a restriction is 'by object' under Section 34 of the Competition Act if the conduct has a 'manifest anti-competitive economic rationale.' This decision overturned a previous Competition Appeal Board ruling and restored S$2.8 million in penalties against four warehouse operators who coordinated surcharges.

Why it mattersThe ruling lowers the threshold for the CCC to prove anti-competitive behavior by prioritizing economic rationale over the requirement for a formal written agreement.