Publications in: Consumer and firm behaviour

Consumer Information on Broadband Speed and Net Neutrality Experiment

Published: November, 2011

Ofcom has published the report by London Economics “Consumer information on Broadband Net Neutrality”. This study uses an economic experiment and behavioural economics to test the impact on consumers’ internet package choice of how information about packages is presented. Participants in the experiment were faced with different information frames, including the use of colour coding […]

Review of Company Surveys of Consumer Willingness to Pay to Reduce the Impacts of Transmission Infrastructure on Visual Amenity

Published: October, 2011

In the context of potential measures to reduce the visual amenity impacts of existing transmission infrastructure, this London Economics study for Ofgem provides a critical review of willingness to pay evidence provided to Ofgem by the transmission operators. The first step of the review involved determining a current best practice model for WTP studies assessing […]

Consumer Behavioural Biases in Competition

Published: May, 2011

Office of Fair Trading, May 4, 2011.

Consumer Behavioural Biases in Competition

Published: May, 2011

Consumer behavioural biases imply that consumers may not behave in the fully rational way that many economic models assume. This study assesses what impact behavioural biases can have on competition, including, how competition and pricing practices may change when consumers are biased; if lowering barriers to entry can reduce inefficiencies that arise from consumer behavioural […]

Competition-promoting Consumer Behaviour

Published: March, 2011

The Danish Competition and Consumer Authority (DCCA) has published two reports analysing the interactions between consumer behaviour and competition in retail markets; one of which was written by London Economics. The study undertaken by London Economics analyses consumer behaviour during the purchasing processes and is based on a survey of 6,000 Danish consumers. The study […]

Consumer Contracts

Published: February, 2011

The OFT has published the market study on problems consumers have with contracts. To inform the market study London Economics in association with YouGov completed a behavioural survey of consumers combined with an economic experiment to investigate the features of contracts that cause most problems for consumers.

Behavioural Economics and the Impact of Price Frames on Consumer Decision Making

Published: November, 2010

European Commission conference on Behavioural Economics, November 22, 2010.

Consumer Switching Experimental Economics Research

Published: September, 2010

This study completed for Ofcom reports the results of an economic experiment that investigates different features of switching processes for consumers in the market for communication services. The economic experiment tests the impact of two main forms of switching process, Gaining Provider Led Processes (GPLPs) and Losing Provider Led Processes (LPLPs) on a set of […]

The Impact of Price Frames on Consumer Decision Making

Published: May, 2010

London Economics was comissioned by the Office of Fair Trading to undertake a behavioural economics study into how different price frames may impact upon consumer behaviour. The study uses experimental economics to test if consumers incur behavioural biases under five common pricing practices used by firms, including drip pricing and “3 for 2” offers. The […]