Attorney General James Uthmeier Launches Investigation into Major Corporations, Environmental Groups over Potential Antitrust Violations

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-Attorney General James Uthmeier issued Civil Investigative Demands (CID) to several major corporations and environmental groups as part of an investigation into potential antitrust violations.

"Environmental groups are pressuring corporations to abandon free market principles and raise prices on consumers for products they don't want, and many corporations continue their associations with these groups,"said Attorney General James Uthmeier. "Our office provided them with a sufficient opportunity to respond to our inquiries regarding potential violations of the law. Time's up."

Unilever, Coca-Cola, Target, Nestle, Mondelez International Holdings LLC, the U.S. Plastics Pact, the Consumer Goods Forum, and the Green Blue Institute all received CIDs. The CIDs are investigating suspicions that the corporations may have engaged in collusive partnerships through and with the environmental groups that, among other things, restricted trade, increased prices for consumers, and diminished free market competition.

The filings require the corporations and groups to produce documentation including:

• Communications between the corporations and the environmental groups.
• Communications between the corporations and other corporations within their same environmental groups.
• Documents related to the environmental groups' "problematic materials" lists and rules.
• Records of steps the corporations have taken to eliminate any such "problematic materials" and the economic impact on consumers from those steps.

All subpoenaed documentation must be provided by May 27, 2026.

To see the Civil Investigative Demands sent to Unilever and U.S. Plastics Pact, click here and here.

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