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Does Quality Adjustment Matter for Technologically Stable Products? An Application to the CPI for Food

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  • John S. Greenlees
  • Robert McClelland

Abstract

Most indexes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) use a form of the "matched-model" approach. It is frequently assumed that this approach accurately reflects inflation for items that have no major trend in quality. In this paper we investigate that hypothesis using CPI data for retail food items. We find that CPI analysts may be correct on average when they decide that new and replacement items are similar in quality. We also find, however, that when sample items are replaced by items of significantly different quality the CPI imputation procedures may underestimate price change and overstate quality change.

Suggested Citation

  • John S. Greenlees & Robert McClelland, 2011. "Does Quality Adjustment Matter for Technologically Stable Products? An Application to the CPI for Food," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(3), pages 200-205, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:101:y:2011:i:3:p:200-205
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    1. John S. Greenlees & Robert McClelland, 2011. "Does Quality Adjustment Matter for Technologically Stable Products? An Application to the CPI for Food," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(3), pages 200-205, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Carol A. Corrado & Charles R. Hulten, 2014. "Innovation Accounting," NBER Chapters, in: Measuring Economic Sustainability and Progress, pages 595-628, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Kevin J. Fox & Daniel Melser, 2014. "Non-Linear Pricing and Price Indexes: Evidence and Implications from Scanner Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(2), pages 261-278, June.
    3. Etienne Gagnon & Benjamin R. Mandel & Robert J. Vigfusson, 2014. "Missing Import Price Changes and Low Exchange Rate Pass-Through," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(2), pages 156-206, April.
    4. Oleksiy Kryvtsov, 2016. "Is there a quality bias in the Canadian CPI? Evidence from microdata," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 49(4), pages 1401-1424, November.
    5. Ingvild Almås & Timothy K.M. Beatty & Thomas F. Crossley, 2018. "Lost in Translation: What do Engel Curves Tell us about the Cost of Living?," CESifo Working Paper Series 6886, CESifo.
    6. Etienne Gagnon & Benjamin R. Mandel & Robert J. Vigfusson, 2012. "The hitchhiker’s guide to missing import price changes and pass-through," Staff Reports 537, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    7. Daniel Melser & Iqbal A. Syed, 2016. "Life Cycle Price Trends and Product Replacement: Implications for the Measurement of Inflation," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 62(3), pages 509-533, September.
    8. Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2018. "Product Turnover and the Cost of Living Index: Quality vs. Fashion Effects," Globalization Institute Working Papers 337, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
    9. Brucal, Arlan & Roberts, Michael J., 2019. "Do energy efficiency standards hurt consumers? Evidence from household appliance sales," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 88-107.
    10. Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2016. "Product Turnover and Deflation: Evidence from Japan," CARF F-Series CARF-F-400, Center for Advanced Research in Finance, Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo.
    11. Daniel Melser & Iqbal A. Syed, 2013. "Prices over the Product Life Cycle: Implications for Quality-Adjustment and the Measurement of Inflation," Discussion Papers 2013-26, School of Economics, The University of New South Wales.

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    4. Ingvild Almås & Timothy K.M. Beatty & Thomas F. Crossley, 2018. "Lost in Translation: What do Engel Curves Tell us about the Cost of Living?," CESifo Working Paper Series 6886, CESifo.
    5. Brucal, Arlan & Roberts, Michael J., 2019. "Do energy efficiency standards hurt consumers? Evidence from household appliance sales," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 88-107.
    6. Etienne Gagnon & Benjamin R. Mandel & Robert J. Vigfusson, 2014. "Missing Import Price Changes and Low Exchange Rate Pass-Through," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(2), pages 156-206, April.
    7. Kevin J. Fox & Daniel Melser, 2014. "Non-Linear Pricing and Price Indexes: Evidence and Implications from Scanner Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(2), pages 261-278, June.
    8. Etienne Gagnon & Benjamin R. Mandel & Robert J. Vigfusson, 2012. "The hitchhiker’s guide to missing import price changes and pass-through," Staff Reports 537, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    9. Kozo Ueda & Kota Watanabe & Tsutomu Watanabe, 2018. "Product Turnover and the Cost of Living Index: Quality vs. Fashion Effects," Globalization Institute Working Papers 337, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
    10. Daniel Melser & Iqbal A. Syed, 2013. "Prices over the Product Life Cycle: Implications for Quality-Adjustment and the Measurement of Inflation," Discussion Papers 2013-26, School of Economics, The University of New South Wales.
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