group boycott

{{Competition law}}

In competition law, a group boycott is a type of secondary boycott in which two or more competitors in a relevant market refuse to conduct business with a firm unless the firm agrees to cease doing business with an actual or potential competitor of the firms conducting the boycott.Black's Law Dictionary, 7th ed. 1999 It is a form of refusal to deal, and can be a method of shutting a competitor out of a market, or preventing entry of a new firm into a market.

In the United States, such conduct can be held to violate the Sherman Antitrust Act. Depending upon the nature of the boycott, the courts may apply the rule of reason, a quick look analysis, or hold that the boycott is illegal per se. There is a presumption in favor of a rule of reason standard.{{Citation|title=Craftsmen Limousine, Inc. v. Ford Motor Co.|date=May 5, 2004|url=https://scholar.google.ca/scholar_case?case=35050656790212490&hl=en&as_sdt=6&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr|volume=363|pages=772|access-date=2019-01-14|quote=The United States Supreme Court has set forth three methods for analyzing the reasonableness of a restraint on trade: rule of reason analysis, per se analysis, and quick look analysis. The rule of reason is the 'prevailing standard'...}}{{cite book |last1=Gurnick |first1=David |title=Distribution Law of the United States |date=1 Sep 2011 |publisher=Juris Publishing, Inc. |page=136-137}} It may also be considered a form of civil conspiracy.