For example, in 1996, supermarkets, such as Tesco, Asda and Kwik Save were selling baked beans for 3pence per can. In the past, supermarkets have had price wars on selected goods. If they do their weekly shop and spend £50, it will more than compensate for the negative profit margin on flowers of say £1. A display of flowers in the shop window and eye-catching low price could encourage shoppers to go into the shop. The firm hopes to recoup the lost profit by increased sales of more profitable items.Ī good example of a loss leader is a supermarket selling flowers at less than cost. The firm sells this product at a loss as a way to encourage consumers to shop and buy other goods. But, overall they remain profitable.A loss leader is a product that is sold at less than cost. This could be termed ‘loss leaders’ For example, supermarkets sell some items like bread and baked beans at a discount to attract customers. Often firms engage in partial predatory pricing. Microsoft’s decision to offer its web browser (Internet Explorer) helped to make it very difficult for its main competitor (Netscape) who was also forced to offer its web browser for free. This was a serious infringement of the law, and the penalty should act as a deterrent to others.’ Microsoft web browser – internet explorer This campaign continued despite the fact that the Competition Act 1998 prohibited predatory pricing from March 2000, and despite an OFT investigation already being in train. ‘Aberdeen Journals deliberately incurred losses in a persistent campaign to remove its only direct rival from the market. Aberdeen Journals were fined £1.3million. Since bus deregulation, bus use in Darlington has fallen from 10 million journeys a year (2001) to 6.6 million (2014).Īberdeen Newspaper was fined by the OFT for predatory pricing and trying to eliminate its main competitor. We find these actions to be predatory, deplorable and against the public interest.” “It was the combination of Busways’ actions in recruiting so many of DTC’s drivers so quickly, registering services on all its routes and running free services which caused DTC’s final collapse. In a report into the entry of Busways, the Monopolies and Mergers commission reported that the actions of Busways did amount to predatory pricing. For a time, they also offered free bus rides – attracting customers from their rivals The result was that Darlington Transport Company (DTC) went out of business leading to monopoly power for the remaining Busways company. Busways were also successful in attracting bus drivers from its rival (by paying higher wages. In the Darlington bus wars, Busways (owned by Stagecoach from July 1994) a new entrant into the deregulated bus markets, offered free bus travel to try and force the rival Darlington Bus company out of business. It is prohibited under EU Competition Law to sell goods at a loss with the purpose of forcing other firms out of business. Consumers can benefit if prices fall and all the firms stay in business. However, predatory pricing could be confused with a very competitive market. If predatory pricing leads to an increase in monopoly power, then it will harm the public interest because it leads to higher prices in the long term. Predatory Pricing and the Public Interest If successful, the monopoly firm regains its monopoly power, but also its action of predatory pricing discourages other firms from trying to enter. The incumbent monopoly may have significant savings to finance a price war, whilst the new firm is more vulnerable due to financing cost of entering the market.These low prices and operating at a loss may force the new firm out of business.However, in response, the incumbent monopoly could cut prices and make a temporary loss.If a monopoly is enjoying supernormal profits, it is likely to attract new firms into the industry – who would reduce the incumbent’s profitability.Predatory pricing could be a method to deal with new firms who enter an industry. Predatory pricing occurs when a firm sells a good or service at a price below cost (or very cheaply) with the intention of forcing rival firms out of business.
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