Mogul Steamship Co. v. McGregor, Gow & Co.
House of Lords
23 Q.B.D. 598 (1889), affirmed [1892] A.C. 25
Relevant factsFree
A group of ship merchants represented by McGregor, Gow & Co. (defendant), engaged in the Chinese tea trade, agreed among themselves to sharply undercut tea prices specifically to drive out competitors, including rival merchant Mogul Steamship (plaintiff), and offered a five percent rebate to shippers and agents who agreed to deal with the group exclusively. Mogul sued for unfair competition, the lower court ruled for McGregor's group, and Mogul appealed.
IssueFree
Whether an action for unfair competition lies in the intentional doing of some act to the detriment of a plaintiff's business, absent just cause or excuse.