Fair Competition/Antitrust
We compete strongly and fairly, outperforming our competitors through superior quality and value.
We believe in a free and competitive marketplace. It offers us the best opportunity to differentiate the Clarios brand. By being customer-driven and providing best-in-class products and service, we outperform the competition and build long-term trust in our brand. The laws designed to promote free markets — known as antitrust laws in the United States and fair competition laws in most other countries — are complex; violations can result in severe penalties. We recognize that even the appearance of unfairness or deception in our competitive practices could hurt our reputation and expose us to legal liability.
We win business the right way by:
QUESTION: At a recent battery association meeting, I got into a conversation with a competitor’s sales director. He asked if I’d noticed that the buyer at an aftermarket retailer we both service is particularly hard to deal with; he speculated about what would happen if companies like ours refused to do business with that customer. Talking about a common customer made me uncomfortable, so I pretended to take a phone call and then moved to a seat on the other side of the auditorium. How should I have responded?
ANSWER: You were right to end the conversation. Trade shows and association meetings are important venues for learning and staying current in our industry. However, interactions with competitors at such events can be fraught with the risk of competition law violations. A conversation with a competitor about boycotting a common customer could be considered an attempt to form an illegal agreement to exclude companies from a certain market or to put pressure on a certain customer to “fall in line.” It would be wise to report your concern to the Law Department as soon as possible.