Antitrust and Supermarkets

Posted by D. Daniel Sokol

The FTC Bureau of Economics will host a conference on antitrust and supermarkets.  You can download the agenda here (hat tip to Josh Wright at Truth on the Market from brining the conference to my attention).

A Conference on Grocery Store Antitrust: Historical Retrospective & Current Developments -  May 24, 2007

8:30 a.m
Registration, 601 New Jersey Avenue NW Conference Center

9:00 a.m.
Introduction, “Can Antitrust Be Forward Looking?”

Michael Salinger (FTC Bureau of Economics)

9:15 a.m.
Broad Overview

1. Historical Perspective: Paul Ellickson (Duke)
2. International Perspective: Benoit Durand (UK Competition Commission) and David Parker (Frontier Economics)

10:15 a.m.
Morning Break

10:30 a.m.
Panel, “Merger Objectives and Merger Review”
Chair:  Michael Salinger (FTC Bureau of Economics)
Members:  James Fishkin (Dechert LLP)
Dave Sheffman (LECG)
Dan O’Brien (Department of Justice)

12:00 p.m.
Keynote Lunchtime Address, “The Role of Intellectual Leadership in Competition Policy”

FTC Commissioner William Kovacic

1:30 p.m.
Academic Paper Presentations on Retail Competition

Moderator: Dan Hosken (FTC Bureau of Economics)

1. “Internet Grocery Pricing and Growth Strategies”
David Bell (Wharton)
Discussant: Catherine Tucker (MIT Sloan)

2. “National and Local Pricing in UK Supermarkets”
Jon Seaton (Loughborough University)
Discussant: Raphael Thomadsen (UCLA)

2:30 p.m.
Afternoon Break

2:45 p.m.
Academic Paper Presentations on Change/Dynamics in the Retail Industry
Moderator:  Chris Adams (FTC Bureau of Economics)

1. “The Diffusion of Wal-Mart and Economies of Density”
Thomas Holmes (Minnesota)
Discussant: Brett Wendling (FTC Bureau of Economics)

2. “The Dynamics of Retail Oligopoly”
Arie Beresteanu (Duke)
Discussant: Adam Copeland (Bureau of Economic Analysis)

3:45 p.m.
Panel, “Can Antitrust Be Forward Looking?”
Chair:  Michael Salinger (FTC Bureau of Economics)
Members:  Dennis Carlton (Department of Justice)
Joe Simons (Paul Weiss)
Tim Brennan (UMBC)

4:30 p.m.
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