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.
An act or practice is unfair when it (1) causes or is likely to cause substantial injury to consumers, (2) cannot be reasonably avoided by consumers, and (3) is not outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or to competition. Congress codified the three-part unfairness test in 1994.
(These practices are commonly called misleading or unfair business practices.) They include false advertising, misrepresentation, tied selling, and failing to comply with regulations. Under consumer protection laws, they are illegal and can lead to compensatory or punitive damages.
Unfair trade practices are practices that grossly deviate from good commercial conduct and are contrary to good faith and fair dealing. 1 Unfair trading practices are typically imposed in a situation of imbalance by a stronger party on a weaker one, and can exist from any side of the B2B relationship.
Common Examples of Unfair Competition False advertising. “Bait and switch” selling tactics. Unauthorized substitution of one brand of goods for another. Use of confidential information by former employee to solicit customers.
As a general rule, any act or practice carried out in the course of industrial or commercial activities contrary to honest practices constitutes an act of unfair competition; the decisive criterion being “contrary to honest practices”.
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.
These are the most common examples of unfair competition practices in business litigation: Trademark infringement. Product disparagement (making false claims about a competitor's product) Stealing a competitor's trade secrets or confidential information.
Definition. Unfair competition is conduct by a market participant which gains or seeks to gain an advantage over its rivals through misleading, deceptive, dishonest, fraudulent, coercive or unconscionable conduct in trade or commerce.