Brand-Supermarket Demand for Breakfast Cereals and Retail Competition |
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Authors: | Benaissa Chidmi Rigoberto A Lopez |
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Institution: | Benaissa Chidmi is assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409;and Rigoberto A. Lopez is professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269. |
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Abstract: | The Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes (1995) market equilibrium model is extended to the supermarket chain level to examine consumer choices and retail competition for thirty-seven brands of breakfast cereals in Boston. Estimated taste parameters for product characteristics vary significantly across consumers. Although consumers are price-sensitive with respect to their chosen cereals, they exhibit strong brand and supermarket loyalty. Retail markups increase and marginal costs decrease with grocery market shares, attesting to oligopoly power with efficiencies. Markups decrease with the own-price elasticity of demand, with Corn Flakes having the highest markups. A detailed picture of consumer response and supermarket competition is provided. |
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Keywords: | breakfast cereals demand retail competition supermarket |
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