限制轉售價格法律規範之研究

我國限制轉售價格規範之內容與各國相關法制相較實為相對嚴格，實務上事業因違反限制轉售價格規範而受主管機關處分之案例，亦呈現發生件數或處罰內容均明顯低於其他類型之限制競爭行為，嚴格的法律規範看似對違法的限制轉售價格行為產生具體的嚇阻效果。然而進一步對我國零售業之競爭現況加以觀察，發現零售市場已普遍呈現少數連鎖通路高度集中的寡頭壟斷現象。中、小型及新進入市場之製造商因無力與大型製造商於上述寡頭壟斷之連鎖通路競爭，以致連製造商亦呈現寡頭壟斷之集中現象。於此通路高度集中之競爭市場，實難想像製造商如何能憑其一己之力於此寡頭壟斷之市場，執行限制轉售價格政策，然而實際上就主要民生必需品的市場價格加以觀察時，可以發現，不論是食品類別的油、鹽、酒類、鮮奶、奶粉、米、麵、雞蛋等，或是用品類別的衛生紙、面紙、清潔劑、女性衛生用品、嬰兒尿布等品類的領導品牌，只要這些品牌同時在上述的全國性連鎖通路上架販賣，所呈現的商品零售價甚至是促銷價格，往往依各零售通路之實力呈現井然有序之現象，此種現象顯然係製造商與零售商之間的一定價格默契所形成的結果。然而從實務適用之案例觀之，甚少有此類價格協議受到處分之實務案例，主管機關所查處之案例，似乎較侷限於中、小型市場或中小型廠商之價格限制行為。從而，我國對限制轉售價格行為之規範雖向以嚴格著稱，惟對大型通路與製造商間的價格默契行為似乎難收規範之效果，反而對於限制市場競爭影響有限的中、小型製造商則顯然具備相當之威嚇效果，甚至於有利消費者利益的限制最高轉售價格行為亦因舉證責任之負擔而難為事業所採納，相關立法之方式似乎使得執法效果似乎陷入「只罰小、難罰大」的窘境，更遑論呼應各國對限制轉售價格行為之違法性逐漸放寬的立法趨勢。於此，本研究以我國關限制轉售價格規範之妥適性加以探討，並以各主要國家之相關規範內容與立法意旨交互比較，同時對主管機關歷年之處分案例加以綜合分析，針對我國限制轉售價格之法律規範提供淺薄之見，期能有助於我國限制轉售價格規範於未來修訂時，更符合公平交易法之立法意旨。

關鍵字

限制轉售價格；垂直限制；合理原則；當然違法原則；品牌內競爭；品牌間競爭

並列摘要

The relevant regulations of Resale Price Maintenance (RPM) of Taiwan are relatively strict comparing with the other countries in the world. Actually, the occurrences and the penalties of cases made by the Authority were significantly less than the other restricted competition behaviors. Strict legal norms of RPM seem to have ended up with a prominent deterrent effect superficially. However, further observing the retail channels, the retailer market has become highly concentrative and been dominated by few big chain stores. The minor enterprises are failing to compete with the large enterprises in these big chain stores eventually, the supply markets are dominated by large enterprises step by step as well. In such a concentrative retail market, it is hard to imagine the possibility for a manufacturer to implement RPM policy by itself. However, when observing the selling prices of major fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), such as oil, salt, alcohol, fresh milk, milk powder, rice, noodles, eggs, etc. in food category, or toilet paper, facial paper, detergent, feminine hygiene products, baby diapers, etc. in nonfood category, the selling prices seem to be set orderly according to the market strengths of the retail channels. Obviously, the suppliers and retailers have come into tacit understandings or agreements about the selling prices. Nevertheless, these tacit understandings or agreements of the selling prices are seldom to be revealed and punished by the Authority. Most of the disposition cases made by the Authority limit only to minor enterprises. It seems that the strict legal norms of RPM can not regulate the RPM behaviors between big chain stores and large enterprises effectively. Instead, the regulations of RPM have had considerable deterrent effects to minor enterprises. What was more, for the need in the burden of proof, the suppliers will hesitate to implement the maximum RPM that is even beneficial to the interests of consumers. The enforcement of the regulations seems falling into a predicament of "regulating only the minors, however incapable to the large enterprises”. Not to mention to moderate the illegality of RPM which already was the trend of the world. Therefore, we analysis the adequacy of the relevant regulations of RPM, and compare the relevant regulations of the major countries, as well as the cases implemented by the authority over the years in this thesis, hoping that the opinions of this thesis will be helpful to the legislations of RPM in the future.