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The Competition Effects of Lookalike Private Label Products

In: National Brands and Private Labels in Retailing

Author

Listed:
  • Paul W. Dobson

    (University of East Anglia)

  • Li Zhou

    (University of East Anglia)

Abstract

This paper considers the competition effects of lookalike products, which seek to mimic the packaging, design and appearance of leading brands. Such products, most notable in the fast-moving-consumer-goods (FMCG) sector, are particularly associated with items promoted by retail organizations as part of their private-label programmes. The market power and control over the supply chain which the major retailers now enjoy means that by developing lookalike products they may have the opportunity to exploit unfairly and anti-competitively the image and goodwill that brand manufacturers have developed through careful and continual product and marketing investment. This, in turn, could distort the way and the extent to which manufacturers compete, enhance retailer control over the supply chain. In the process, this could undermine manufacturer branded goods which smaller retailers traditionally rely on, thus weakening their competitive position and resulting in further concentration of retail markets and less choice of store types and product varieties for consumers. The continuing absence of a rapid and effective legal remedy to prevent the rewards from brand investment being misappropriated by imitators means that such action will likely continue, with the upshot that manufacturer and retailer competition may be distorted to the detriment of consumer welfare and the public interest.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul W. Dobson & Li Zhou, 2014. "The Competition Effects of Lookalike Private Label Products," Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Juan Carlos Gázquez-Abad & Francisco J. Martínez-López & Irene Esteban-Millat & Juan Antonio Mondéja (ed.), National Brands and Private Labels in Retailing, edition 127, pages 17-26, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-319-07194-7_2
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-07194-7_2
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Paul W. Dobson & Ratula Chakraborty, 2014. "How Do National Brands And Store Brands Compete?," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2014-07, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    2. Ratula Chakraborty, 2018. "Do Retailers Manipulate Prices to Favour Private Label over Brands?," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2018-02, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    3. Zaffou, Madiha & Campbell, Benjamin & Rabinowitz, Adam, 2016. "Spillover Effect of Participation in Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Program on Consumer’s Purchasing Behavior of Private Label Goods," 2016 Annual Meeting, February 6-9, 2016, San Antonio, Texas 230100, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.

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