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A new price test in geographic market definition – an application to german retail gasoline market

Author

Listed:
  • Bantle, Melissa

    (Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg)

  • Muijs, Matthias

    (University of Hohenheim)

Abstract

Market delineation is a fundamental tool in modern antitrust analysis. However, the definition of re- levant markets can be very difficult in practice. This preliminary draft applies a new methodology combining a simple price correlation test with hierarchical clustering -a method known from machine learning- in order to analyze the competitive situation in the German retail gasoline market. Our analysis reveals two remarkable results: At first, there is a uniform pattern across stations of the same brand regarding their maximum daily prices which confirms the claim that prices are partly set centrally. But more importantly, price reactions are also influenced by regional or local market conditions as the price setting of gasoline stations is strongly affected by commuter routes.

Suggested Citation

  • Bantle, Melissa & Muijs, Matthias, 2018. "A new price test in geographic market definition – an application to german retail gasoline market," Working Paper 180/2018, Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:vhsuwp:2018_180
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Leonardo C. B. Cardoso & Carlos Frederico A. Uchôa & Williams Huamani & David R. Just & Raúl V. Gomez, 2022. "Price effects of spatial competition in retail fuel markets: the impact of a new rival nearby," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(1), pages 81-105, February.
    2. Korff, Alex, 2021. "Competition on the fast lane: The price structure of homogeneous retail gasoline stations," DICE Discussion Papers 359, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    market definition; gasoline market; price tests; competition; k-means clustering; hierarchical clustering;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General

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