Pepsi hurt small businesses by giving big-box retailer advantages [Video]

The Federal Trade Commission on Friday sued PepsiCo for allegedly engaging in illegal price discrimination with a large retailer.The commission alleges that the retailer, whose name was redacted in the statement from commissioners, received “unfair pricing advantages” that were not made available to others. A source familiar with the case told CNN that the retailer is Walmart.Video above: Pepsi unveils new logo ahead of 125th anniversaryA Walmart spokesperson told CNN that the company did not have a comment about the lawsuit.The big-box retailer “consistently” received promotional payments and advertising from PepsiCo, which owns major brands including Frito Lay, Quaker and Gatorade, the FTC alleged. The benefits disadvantaged family-owned grocers, local convenience stores and even larger chains, according to the commission.”When firms like Pepsi give massive retailers a leg up, it tilts the playing field against small firms and ultimately inflates prices for American consumers,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan in …