Two common examples of unfair competition are trademark infringement and misappropriation. The right to publicity is often invoked in misappropriation issues. Other practices that fall into the area of unfair competition include: False advertising.
California's UCL prohibits businesses in California from engaging in illegal, unfair, or fraudulent practices in any aspect of their business, and allows California consumers injured by those practices to go to court to protect their rights.
The law describes “unfair competition” as any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business act or practice, or false, deceptive, or misleading advertising. To pursue lawsuits under California's unfair competition law, a consumer or business must prove suffering and financial or property losses due to an unfair practice.
Section 17200 includes five definitions of unfair competition: (1) an unlawful business act or practice; (2) an unfair business act or practice; (3) a fraudulent business act or practice; (4) unfair, deceptive, untrue, or misleading advertising; or (5) any act prohibited by Sections 17500-17577.5.
Generally, unfair competition consists of two elements: First, there is some sort of economic injury to a business, such as loss of sales or consumer goodwill. Second, this economic injury is the result of deceptive or otherwise wrongful business practice.
The Unfair Competition Law of California prohibits false advertising and illegal business practices. The law is also known as the state's UCL. The law describes “unfair competition” as any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business act or practice, or false, deceptive, or misleading advertising.