Which of the following is the most common form of violation of antitrust laws?

Price-fixing is identified as the most common form of violation of antitrust laws because it involves the agreement between businesses to set prices at a certain level, rather than allowing competition to determine prices naturally. This practice undermines the free market system and can lead to inflated prices for consumers, limiting their choices and reducing overall economic efficiency.

The legal framework around antitrust laws aims to promote competition and prevent monopolistic practices. Price-fixing directly contravenes these principles because it hinders fair competition, making it a focal point for regulatory scrutiny. When companies collude to set prices, it can create significant barriers to market entry for new competitors and can harm consumers who could benefit from a competitive pricing environment.

While collusion and market allocation are indeed violations of antitrust laws as well, price-fixing is particularly prevalent in various industries because it can be more covert and easier to execute among competitors. The actions of firms in price-fixing schemes are often less transparent and can involve complex agreements that are harder to detect until significant damage has already been inflicted on the market.