i think you are underestimating how competitive businesses are - someone knowing that a competitor is exploiting an illegal advantage , has all the incentive in the world to report that illegal business practice and shame that competitor.

You have to be operating in a very narrow niche or a very small community for illegal behavior to be the norm.

what most employees don't know is that this type of theft is often a smokescreen for theft by a manager or someone below ownership.

mention to owner anonymously, if no action, report the business that does this to you, put it on yelp, and move on.