On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation over whether there was collusion between the makers of baby formula when bidding on attractive government contracts.

According to the Wall Street Journal report, documents posted to the FTC’s website indicate the investigation is focusing on whether Abbott Laboratories and other formula makers “engaged in collusion or coordination with any other market participant regarding the bidding,” on government contracts.

The outlet reported that sources indicate the regulator is also looking into whether there was a broader policy of company coordination which affected sales beyond the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) formula supply program contracts the manufacturers were bidding on.

According to a Nestle company spokeswoman, the FTC has sought information from the company, which manufactures the Good Start line of infant formulas, and the Swiss manufacturer responded to the request.

FTC, Abbott, and Nestle have not had any additional responses to the inquiry as yet.

Abbott had noted in February that the FTC had delivered to it a civil investigative demand seeking information related to an investigation into companies which were submitting bids for contracts to supply WIC formula to the government.

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