I realize that price fixing has occurs when competitors collude to artificially inflate prices. But when a manufacturer imposes these kinds of price floors on its products to its retailers, the effect is pretty much the same, as far as the comsumer is concerned (higher prices than would what would normally be determined by supply/demand). Why is it legal for Apple to impose minimum retail prices, while it would definitely be illegal if a bunch of retailers got together and agreed upon a price floor on their own?
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I realize that price fixing has occurs when competitors collude to artificially inflate prices. But when a manufacturer imposes these kinds of price floors on its products to its retailers, the effect is pretty much the same, as far as the comsumer is concerned (higher prices than would what would normally be determined by supply/demand). Why is it legal for Apple to impose minimum retail prices, while it would definitely be illegal if a bunch of retailers got together and agreed upon a price floor on their own?