Consumer protection as the primary purpose of defense of competition: the United States, European Union and Colombian experience

Abstract

As part of the debate on the fundamental objective of defending competition, this article compares the concepts in the Chicago school doctrine on the subject -in defense of economic efficiency- and the Harvard School doctrine, which attributes a social function to protecting the competitive ecosystem that goes beyond the economic argument. The inflexible relationship that exists between consumer protection and antitrust laws is assessed, and the scope of making consumer protection the ultimate and universal purpose of the law on competition is calculated. thanks to the regulations that have emerged in the United states, the European Union and Colombia, and in light of case law, the article confirms the priority of lawmakers and those who hand down rulings or judgments in the selected regions is to safeguard the interests of consumers through antitrust rules and regulations.