Q: What area of law governs price gouging and sale or resale of goods that have price restrictions during emergencies?
I don't know what type of lawyer specialty deals with this, so it would be good to know so I can inquire further. I'm trying to figure out what is allowed and not allowed if I had a source of masks from abroad and am interested in making a modest profit (after manufacturing, shipping and customs costs) through resale to local hospitals or clinics or other organizations that could benefit highly from them. There is no intention to price gouge on top of my costs, but clearly they are going to be more expensive than normal due to the increased costs, and I want to make sure I understand the law during these special times.
A: ANSWER: Penal Code Section 396 prohibits raising the price of many consumer goods and services by more than 10% after an emergency has been declared. Local laws may also contain their own prohibitions on price gouging.
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