MONOPOLY COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES

Businesses thrive in a free market because competition generates benefits such as stable prices and opportunities for innovation. When a company has no significant competition in a particular market, it may form a monopoly. While monopolies can provide businesses with a focused target audience and increased profits, they also have drawbacks that professionals should be aware of. In this article, we will define monopoly companies, explain how they work, and provide examples of food monopolies in the US.

What are Monopoly Companies?

Monopoly companies are defined as “situations in which a single company or group owns all or nearly all of the market for a given type of product or service.” Monopolies are typically quite profitable in the absence of meaningful competition. While businesses are constantly competing for market share, achieving true monopoly status is difficult.

Monopoly Companies Examples

The following examples of monopoly companies show various types of monopolistic businesses. The examples are theoretical as well as practical. Some companies have monopolies in the industries in which they operate. Because there are many examples of monopoly companies, not all variations and types are explained here, but the general outline of all types remains the same, i.e., the firm or company is the sole seller of a product with no competitors or substitutes.
The following are real-world examples of monopoly companies.

#1. Railways

The government operates public services such as railways. As a result, they are a monopoly because new partners or privately held companies are not permitted to operate railways. However, ticket prices are reasonable, so most people can use public transportation.

#2. Luxottica

Luxottica is a company that owns all of the major sunglasses brands. Almost all of the major eyewear brands have been acquired by the company. They are, however, still given different names. It gives the customer the impression that they have a variety of sunglasses to choose from, even though they are all manufactured by the same company. Luxottica manufactures more than 80% of the world’s eyewear.

#3. Microsoft

Microsoft is a computer and software manufacturing company. It controls more than 75% of the market and is the market leader and virtual monopolist in the technology sector.

#4. AB InBev Inc.

AB InBev, formed by the merger of Anheuser-Busch and InBev, distributes over 200 different brands of beer, including Budweiser, Corona, and Beck. While the beer names are different and the ingredients are different, they all come from the same company. As a result, when people drink different beers, they are essentially paying a single company.

#5. Google

Google has become a household name, and whenever we don’t know what to do, we probably Google. The largest web search engine controls more than 70% of the market thanks to its secret algorithm. Furthermore, the company has evolved into a web of interconnected services such as maps, Gmail, search engines, and so on. As a result, the company has surpassed its competitors in terms of innovation and technological advancement, including Yahoo and Microsoft.

#6. Patents

Patents grant a company a legal monopoly, albeit for a limited time. When a patent is issued, no other company may use the invention for its purposes. For example, a casino in Genting Highlands, Malaysia, owned an exclusive patent for legalized casinos and had a legal monopoly in Malaysia for many years.

#7. AT&T

AT&T, a telecommunications company, was the sole supplier of telephone services in the United States in 1982, which violated antitrust laws. The company was forced to split into six subsidiaries known as “Baby Bells” due to its monopolistic activities for service as essential telecommunications services.

#8. Facebook

In the twenty-first century, social media is the new market. While the users are provided with free services, the companies profit from advertising revenue. Facebook almost has a monopoly in this business due to its large market share. The company has surpassed all of its competitors, including Google+, Twitter, and others. It has experienced organic growth in users and social media advertisers, as well as acquisitions of other companies such as Oculus Rift. The company is so large that it was recently charged with influencing users’ attitudes toward how elections are fought and swaying them in favor of a single person or party.

While monopoly companies are common in a capitalist economy, governments ensure that they do not exploit this by charging customers exorbitant prices for their goods and services. Moral laws are created to verify the monopolistic prices of businesses. Furthermore, governments have enacted antitrust legislation to protect consumers from the predatory behavior of monopolistic corporations.

Food Monopoly Companies

Only ten monopoly companies control nearly every major food and beverage brand on the planet. Nestlé, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Mars, Associated British Foods, and Mondelez are all monopoly companies that employ thousands of people and generate billions of dollars in revenue each year.

Oxfam created a mind-boggling infographic that shows how interconnected consumer brands are to push these companies to make positive changes ——and for customers to realize who controls the brands they’re buying.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of the food monopoly companies that own the brands and products we use daily:

#1. Kellogg’s

Revenue in 2016 was $13 billion. Kellogg’s owns noncereal brands such as Eggo, Pringles, and Cheez-It, in addition to Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes.

#2. Associated British Foods.

Revenue in 2016 was $16.8 billion. This British conglomerate owns the Dorset Cereals and Twinings tea brands, as well as the retailer Primark.

#3. General Mills Inc.

Revenue in 2016 was $16.6 billion. General Mills is best known for cereals such as Cheerios and Chex, but the company also owns brands such as Yoplait, Hamburger Helper, Haagen-Dazs, and Betty Crocker.

#4. Danone

Revenue in 2016 was $23.7 billion. Danone is best known for its yogurt brands such as Activa, Yocrunch, and Oikos, but it also sells medical nutrition products and bottled water.

#5. Mondelez

Revenue in 2016 was $25.9 billion. Oreo, Trident gum, and Sour Patch Kids are among the brands owned by this snack-focused company.

#6. Mars

Revenue in 2016 was $35 billion. Although Mars is best known for its chocolate brands such as M&M, it also owns Uncle Ben’s rice, Starburst, and Orbit gum.

#7. Coca-Cola

Revenue in 2016 was $41.9 billion. Coca-Cola is expanding beyond soda, with brands such as Dasani, Fuze, and Honest Tea.

#8. Unilever

Revenue in 2016 was $48.3 billion. Axe body spray, Lipton tea, Magnum ice cream, and Hellmann’s mayonnaise are among the many brands owned by Unilever.

#9. PepsiCo

Revenue in 2016 was $62.8 billion. PepsiCo owns brands such as Quaker Oatmeal, Cheetos, and Tropicana in addition to Pepsi and other sodas.

#10. Nestlé

In 2016, revenue was $90.2 billion. Nestlé owns a variety of brands, including Gerber baby food, Perrier, DiGiorno, and Hot Pockets, as well as candy brands such as Butterfinger and KitKat.

Monopoly Companies In the US

There are and have been numerous monopoly companies in the United States over the years. Some monopoly companies may be well-known to you, while others may be obscure or historical.

#1. Standard Oil

Oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil was one of the first and most well-known examples of a monopoly. Standard Oil was founded in 1870 in Cleveland, Ohio, and Rockefeller acquired competing oil refineries over the years. Within two years of establishing Standard Oil, he had bought out, bankrupted, or closed down 22 of his 26 Ohio competitors. There were several competing oil companies in the United States before Standard Oil. By the early twentieth century, Standard Oil controlled roughly 90% of the oil market, making John D. Rockefeller the first billionaire.

#2. Microsoft

In 1998, Microsoft was accused of having a monopoly on the personal computer market and web browser integration in an antitrust suit. The company was also accused of making it extremely difficult for customers to uninstall Internet Explorer and replace it with a competing browser on their computers. Microsoft was eventually found to have an operating system monopoly, and the ruling called for the company to be split in half. The case, however, was eventually settled, and the U.S. The Department of Justice dropped the requirement that the company is broken up.

#3. Tyson Foods Inc.

Tyson Foods, along with Cargill, JBS, and National Beef, is one of the “big four” meat packers in the United States. It produces approximately one-fifth of the meat consumed in the United States and controls approximately 25% of the market as well as the majority of chicken plants. Its subsidiaries also include well-known brands such as Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Brands, Ball Park Franks, and others. Tyson provides chicken products to companies such as McDonald’s, Walmart, Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, and Taco Bell.

#4. Meta (Formerly Facebook)

Perhaps the most scrutinized company in recent years for alleged monopolistic practices is Facebook, which has since rebranded as Meta. Facebook, in addition to being the most popular social platform with 2.7 billion monthly users, acquired would-be competitors Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as several other platforms. In 2020, 46 states and the Federal Trade Commission sued Facebook, accusing it of engaging in an “illegal buy or bury scheme to crush the competition.” The antitrust case was renewed in August 2021, shortly before Facebook’s rebranding as Meta.

Examples of International Monopolies Companies

While the monopoly companies mentioned above are the most obvious and well-known examples of monopolies, monopolies exist and even thrive all over the world.

#1. Salt Industry Commission

Monopolies can be traced back to ancient times. In this case, the Chinese Tang dynasty. The Salt Industry Commission was established in 758 to sell salt to private merchants and thus raise tax revenue from the state’s monopoly on the salt trade. This practice of a salt tax and government monopoly on salt persisted until the mid-twentieth century when plans were announced in 2014 to end the monopoly by 2016.

#2. The De Beers Group

Since its inception in 1888, the De Beers Group has been regarded as a diamond industry monopoly. De Beers controlled between 80% and 85% of the rough diamond distribution until the turn of the century. De Beers’ ability to maintain global supply and production control became more difficult as new mines were established throughout the twentieth century. Also, De Beers eventually began to prioritize its retail stores and overall brand over market control. While it is still debated whether De Beers is a monopoly, its current share of the diamond industry is closer to 35%.

#3. The YKK Group

Almost any piece of clothing with a zipper was most likely made by the Japanese company YKK. YKK, which has over 200 facilities worldwide, produces approximately half of the world’s zippers—approximately 7 billion per year. Because the zipper market is small, both financially and in terms of producers, it is not surprising that one company dominates. YKK has been accused of being a monopoly due to its market dominance.

#4. Anheuser-Busch InBev

Anheuser-Busch InBev, also known as AB InBev, is a Belgian global brewing company that produces over 200 different types of beer around the world, including Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, and many others. AB InBev was formed by the merger of InBev in Belgium and AmBev in Brazil, as well as subsequent acquisitions of Anheuser-Busch in the United States and SABMiller in South Africa. The company also owns Grupo Modelo, Oriental Brewery, and Bud Analytics. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, AB InBev has effectively monopolized the global beer market.

Is Apple a monopoly company?

Yes. We can say that Apple is a monopoly market structure. It has an advantage over market competition because it can sufficiently control it so that it does not harm it.

Is Google a monopoly?

Not really. Google is not a monopoly because it does not have sole control over any market item. Furthermore, they employ an effective strategy and outperform their market competitors in terms of operations. Furthermore, Google should not be regulated by the government.

Is Netflix a monopoly?

Netflix is not a monopoly structure because it is not the only option for consumers.

Is Coca-Cola a monopoly?

Coca-Cola has operated as a monopoly while competing in an oligopoly market; Coca-Cola does not operate in a perfectly competitive market.

Conclusion

While government-created monopolies or government policies are frequently intended to protect consumers and innovative businesses, private-sector monopolies are intended to eliminate competition and maximize profits.

If a single company has complete control over a product or service, that company can charge whatever price it wants. Consumers who refuse or are unable to pay the price do not receive the product. The desire and conditions that create monopolies will continue to exist for both good and bad reasons.

As a result, the battle to properly regulate them to provide consumers with some degree of choice and competing businesses with the ability to operate will be a part of the landscape for decades to come.