This Paper develops an argument explaining why retail prices may rise in response to the deregulation of opening hours. We make this point in a model of imperfect duopolistic competition. In a deregulated market retailers view the choice of opening hours as a means to increase the degree of perceived product differentiation thus relaxing price competition. If the opportunity costs of the time spent on shopping are sufficiently high the equilibrium configuration has asymmetric shopping hours where one retailer stays open for longer than the other does. Both retailers charge higher prices than under regulation, and both are strictly better off.
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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number
3001.
Find related papers by JEL classification: D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
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Alexei Alexandrov, 2006.
"Fat Products,"
Discussion Papers
1435, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
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