I suspect that it was more a lack of knowledge. Before the internet it would've been a lot harder for knowledge of these cartels to spread.

It was based in Switzerland, how was the average American going to find out about it? Even if they wanted to, where would they look?

Based on conversations with my grandmother who was born at the turn of the century, knowledge of how malign corporations will act when given a chance was something that was forgotten/intentionally buried.