Synchronisation in multi-product firms. Evidence from german grocery prices.
Using a unique panel data set for German grocery prices we find significant price synchronization within food retail chains as well as within individual food stores (between products). Price synchronization between chains appears to be less pronounced. Common shocks can only explain some synchronization, indicating that strategic motives as well as menu costs are of significant importance. (author's abstract)
Consumer Price Adjustment Under the Microscope: Germany in a Period of Low Inflation
We analyse the adjustment of retail and services prices in a period of low inflation, using a set of individual price data from the German Consumer Price Index which covers the years 1998 to 2003. We strong find evidence of time- and state-dependent price adjustment. Most importantly, the differences in ?unconditional? sectoral price flexibility are found to be linked to input price volatility.
Staggering and Synchronisation of Prices in a Low Inflation Environment: Evidence from German Food Stores /доклад на 10 конгрессе ЕААЕ, Exploring Diversity in the European Agri-Food System, Zaragoza, Spain, 28-31 August 2002
Only a few studies have analysed staggering and synchronisation in pricing behaviour of multi-product firms. These studies used low-frequency data in an environment of high rates of inflation. This paper investigates staggering and synchronisation of weekly prices for ten food products in 131 grocery stores in Germany over the period from May 1995 to December 2000 (296 weeks). Different forms of staggering and synchronisation (across-store synchronisation, within type-of-store synchronisation, within retailer synchronisation or across-product synchronisation) have been analysed. None of these forms of synchronisation is supported empirically however. In contrast, perfect staggering can only be rejected in very few cases.