Washington Pricing Agreement, also known as WP Agreement, refers to a legal agreement between manufacturers or sellers that sets the terms and conditions for pricing their products. This agreement aims to promote fair pricing practices, prevent price discrimination, and ensure healthy competition in the marketplace. Under the Washington Pricing Agreement, manufacturers or sellers agree to establish a minimum resale price for their products, which all retailers or distributors must adhere to. This helps to maintain a consistent pricing structure across different channels and prevents retailers from engaging in unfair price-cutting tactics that could harm other competitors. There are several types of Washington Pricing Agreements commonly used: 1. Minimum Resale Price Maintenance: This type of agreement specifies the minimum price at which retailers or distributors can sell the products. It helps protect the brand image, maintain profit margins, and prevent price erosion due to rampant discounting. 2. Colgate Policy: The Colgate policy is a type of unilateral pricing policy where the manufacturer simply announces its minimum resale price without entering into any specific agreement with retailers. Retailers are free to violate the pricing policy, but manufacturers can then choose to stop supplying products to those retailers. 3. Vertical Pricing Agreement: This type of pricing agreement involves a collaboration between manufacturers and retailers whereby both parties agree on the pricing structure. It allows manufacturers to maintain control over the resale price while ensuring retailers are incentivized to promote and sell their products effectively. 4. Cooperative Pricing Agreement: In this type of agreement, manufacturers or sellers collaborate with retailers to set the resale price and share the cost of advertising or promotional activities. This encourages retailers to actively promote the products and helps create a sense of partnership between both parties. Washington Pricing Agreements have been subject to legal scrutiny to determine if they violate antitrust laws. However, if carefully crafted and adhering to legal guidelines, these agreements can help protect businesses from unfair competition and secure a level playing field in the market.