Defending a challenged merger on the basis of synergies requires an analysis of the likely pass through to consumers of associated marginal cost reductions. This paper explores the nature and extent of that pass though with differentiated consumer products. Pass-through rates are shown to depend...

Contrary to the suggestion of Williamson (1968), a merger enhancing total social welfare through the creation of substantial efficiencies nevertheless may violate current antitrust law in the United States, which considers only the effects of mergers on consumers. To avoid violating antitrust...

Robert Crandall and Clifford Winston set out to review and enlarge the body of scholarly evidence on the effect of antitrust policy on consumer prices. They ignore, however, the great weight of evidence supporting the two core elements of antitrust policy - criminal prosecution of cartel...