The thought process which I have here is that decades ago when the supply chains were more dis-intermediated than they are today (due to higher information asym

The thought process which I have here is that decades ago when the supply chains were more dis-intermediated than they are today (due to higher information asymmetry due to lower speed communication than we have today), that it could've naturally resulted in distributors to gravitate towards less durable glass without necessarily forming any cartels as such. It is technically still possible in today's age too, but very likely to a much lesser extent.