The Federal Trade Commission believes that free and open markets are the foundation of a vibrant economy. Aggressive competition among sellers in an open marketplace gives consumers—both individuals and businesses—the benefits of lower prices, higher quality products and services, more choices, and greater innovation. The FTC's competition mission is to enforce the rules of the competitive marketplace—the antitrust laws. These laws promote vigorous competition and protect consumers from anticompetitive mergers and business practices. The FTC's Bureau of Competition, working in tandem with the Bureau of Economics, enforces the antitrust laws for the benefit of consumers.

In Mississippi, as in all states, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces federal antitrust laws to promote competition and protect consumers from unfair business practices. These laws include the Sherman Act, which prohibits monopolistic behavior and anticompetitive agreements; the Clayton Act, which addresses specific practices like price discrimination, exclusive dealing contracts, and mergers and acquisitions that may reduce competition; and the Federal Trade Commission Act, which bans unfair methods of competition and deceptive practices. The FTC's Bureau of Competition, along with the Bureau of Economics, works to prevent anticompetitive mergers and business practices that could harm consumers by leading to higher prices, reduced quality or choice, and stifled innovation. While the FTC operates at the federal level, Mississippi's own antitrust laws and enforcement mechanisms also play a role in maintaining competitive markets within the state. The Mississippi Antitrust Act mirrors federal legislation to some extent and is enforced by the state's Attorney General's office, ensuring that both state and federal resources are used to protect the competitive process.