Stop Youth Addiction, Inc. v. Lucky Stores, Inc.

*558Opinion

WEKDEGAR, J.

The question presented is whether a private, for-profit corporation may maintain on behalf of the general public an unfair competition action against a retailer that, in violation of the Penal Code, sells cigarettes to minors. We conclude such an action is authorized under Business and Professions Code1 sections 17200 through 17209 (the unfair competition law, or UCL).2 Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

Facts

“Because this matter comes to us after the trial court sustained the defendant’s demurrer, ‘we must, under established principles, assume the…