State To Get $148,000 In Reebok Settlement

Reebok will pay the state $148,000 as part of a nationwide antitrust settlement, the state Attorney General’s office said Thursday.

An attorneys general lawsuit, filed in federal district court in New York, alleged that Reebok International, Ltd. and its subsidiary Rockport Co., engaged in a resale pricing scheme that pressured retail outlets to follow Reebok pricing policies.

In some instances, consumers were overcharged for Reebok and Rockport products at retail stores between Jan. 1, 1990 and Dec. 31, 1994, state Attorney General Christine Gregoire alleged.

The lawsuit alleged that Reebok’s pricing policies restrained trade by forcing retailers to adhere to prices set by Reebok. The investigation revealed that some retailers felt pressured to follow Reebok’s pricing policies.

“Dealers are free to set their retail prices and should do so,” said Gregoire.

The settlement involves $9.5 million nationwide. The states have proposed distributing the settlement to charitable and nonprofit organizations, Gregoire said.