Ink Stink: HP and Staples Accused of Breaking Antitrust Laws

Within a year the cost of replacing the inkjet cartridges for your printer can easily add up to more than the actual cost of the printer. Any consumer who is unaware of the total cost of ownership of a printer typically throws a tizzy when they do the math.

That's why people like California resident Ranjit Bedi have turned to third-party ink cartridges such as those sold by Staples that can cost significantly less than what Hewlett-Packard, Epson, and Lexmark charge.

But what happens when your local office superstore stops selling your favorite inexpensive ink? Bedi decided to sue. He filed lawsuit against HP and Staples in a U.S. District Court in Boston alleging HP paid Staples more than $100 million to stop selling lower-priced printer cartridges for HP printers. He contends both firms broke antitrust laws in collaborating on the sale of replacement ink-jet cartridges.

In the complaint it's alleged that HP charges around $8,000 per gallon for its ink. When news agency Reuters asked HP and Staples to comment on the suit both declined.

I'm no lawyer and don't claim to have a firm grasp on the case in question. But without a smoking gun I'd say Bedi is going to have face the sad reality OEM inkjet cartridge replacements are just bloody expensive.

That's not to say there aren't ways to save. Here are some tips PC World came up with in our story The Cheapskate's Guide to Printing.

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