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FTC Reaches Record $4.5 Million Settlement With 7-Eleven

By  |  December 10, 2025

7-Eleven, and its parent, Seven & i Holdings,  have agreed to pay $4.5 million to the Federal Trade Commission to resolve allegations that the convenience store giant failed to comply with a previous antitrust order. According to a statement from the agency, the company acquired a fuel station in St. Petersburg, Florida, without first notifying federal regulators as required by a 2018 consent order.

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    The FTC said the multimillion-dollar penalty is the largest civil fine it has ever collected for a prior-notice violation and represents the most significant settlement involving an order breach in the Bureau of Competition’s history. Per a statement from the Commission, the enforcement action underscores renewed scrutiny on companies that have previously agreed to merger-related restrictions.

    “Under the Trump-Vance FTC, merger remedies that protect competition are once again on the table. But for merger remedies to work, firms must abide by the terms of their consent orders, and we will hold parties accountable when they don’t live up to their commitments,” said Daniel Guarnera, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “7-Eleven failed to fulfill the terms of the FTC’s consent order and is now paying a record price. The FTC will not hesitate to protect the public by actively enforcing order violations and seeking penalties against future violators.”

    Read more: 7-Eleven Owner Faces Uncertain Future as Founding Family Fails to Secure Buyout Financing

    The settlement stems from a lawsuit the Commission filed in 2023. That case originated from conditions placed on 7-Eleven when it purchased 1,100 Sunoco fuel outlets in 2018 in a $3.3 billion deal. At the time, the FTC alleged the acquisition could weaken competition and lead to higher prices in dozens of local markets. As part of the resolution, the company was ordered to divest specified locations and notify regulators before purchasing any additional competing sites in affected regions.

    The St. Petersburg store was one of those locations explicitly requiring advance notice. According to the FTC’s complaint, 7-Eleven moved ahead with the acquisition in December 2018 and did not inform the agency until March 25, 2022—more than three years later. The Commission asserted that the company lacked adequate compliance systems to track and enforce the terms of the consent order.

    Along with paying the penalty, 7-Eleven must sell the St. Petersburg station to a qualified buyer and accept additional oversight. According to a statement, the firm has committed to strengthened notice and approval procedures intended to keep the FTC informed about any future consolidation efforts in relevant fuel markets.

    The Commission approved the final judgment and penalty by a 2-0 vote.

    Source: FTC Gov