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Showing results for:  “"whole foods"”

Some Antitrust Links

The new Global Competition Policy online magazine contains some insightful commentary on the Google/ Doubleclick clearance, critical loss analysis in Whole Foods (from Kevin Murphy and Robert Topel) and more generally (from Greg Werden), as well as competing reactions to the Intel antitrust allegations … The Supreme Court did not grant cert in Microsoft v. ... Some Antitrust Links

The Whole Foods Appeal — Wrong, but Maybe Good.

The FTC has filed its primary appellate brief in the Whole Foods case. In essence, the brief asserts two claims: that the district court evaluated the Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction under an overly stringent legal standard, and that the court improperly discounted the Commission’s evidence that a Whole Foods/Wild Oats merger would reduce ... The Whole Foods Appeal — Wrong, but Maybe Good.

My Nomination for TOTM Post of the Year

If traffic and number of comments are any indication, this one from Geoff on the antitrust analysis of the Whole Foods/ Wild Oats merger certainly attracted the most attention. Its been a fun year of of blogging.  Thanks to all of the TOTM bloggers, guests, commenters, and readers for making it so interesting!  Happy New ... My Nomination for TOTM Post of the Year

Froeb on Economics in Whole Foods

Here’s a taste of the reaction of former FTC Bureau of Economics Director Luke Froeb to some of the economic analysis in the recent Whole Foods merger case: The heavily redacted court documents refer to entry “experiments” to determine the degree of substitution between the two merging stores. We found the following on the Whole ... Froeb on Economics in Whole Foods

I am so smart, s-m-r-t. . . I mean, s-m-a-r-t.

I’m not one to gloat.  Ok, yes i am.  As Thom indicated, the court reached what I believe is the right result in the Whole Foods case yesterday.  I’ve been beating this drum since the merger challenge was announced (I won’t bother linking, yet again, to the series of posts.  Search for “Whole Foods” up ... I am so smart, s-m-r-t. . . I mean, s-m-a-r-t.

Manne Vindicated!

Geoff made all the right arguments on the FTC’s embarrassing effort to thwart the Whole Foods/Wild Oats merger. Indeed, he was one of the first to do so and thereby earned an honored link on Whole Foods’ website. Judge Paul Friedman of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia just denied the ... Manne Vindicated!

Read Marc Hodak

His short post is here.  The theme is, in essence, Bastiat’s “What is Seen and What is Not Seen.”  Government (and, oh, I don’t know . . . antitrust regulators in particular) thrive on the unseen–as Marc puts it, on the unfortunate reality that “invisible opportunity costs stay[] that way.”  As I argued at some ... Read Marc Hodak

Newsflash! AAI supports merger review!

In shocking news, the American Antitrust Institute has come out with a white paper suggesting that the FTC’s challenge of the Whole Foods/Wild Oats merger is warranted (HT: Hanno): The FTC cites to numerous factors and questions that make a highly compelling case for looking closely at whether a Whole Foods/Wild Oats combination will tend substantially to ... Newsflash! AAI supports merger review!

Whole Foods: Where's the [premium, natural and organic] beef?

John Mackey posts a remarkable public response to the FTC, including the complete text and extended exegesis of one of the inflammatory hot docs that prompted the FTC’s action.  But most amazing of all is this comment: The claims that the FTC makes in the above two paragraphs [from the FTC press release] are simply ... Whole Foods: Where's the [premium, natural and organic] beef?

FTC's Whole Foods complaint: still bulls**t

As Manfred reports over at the Antitrust Review, the judge has unsealed the FTC’s complaint against Whole Foods.  This unredacted version reveals an unhealthy reliance on hot docs by the FTC’s staff.  I won’t belabor the point.  But when you’re looking at marketing materials and reports to the board to identify anticompetitive intent (hmmm.  I ... FTC's Whole Foods complaint: still bulls**t

More Thoughts on Whole Foods/Wild Oats

Geoff nailed it on the Whole Foods/Wild Oats affair last week. Always a day late and a dollar short, I’ve just written my own short piece on the FTC’s effort to block the merger of these two fancy grocers. My article appears on the website of the eSapience Center for Competition Policy (eCCP). You’ll have ... More Thoughts on Whole Foods/Wild Oats

FTC Rethinks Bad Pun?

Geoff’s post last week on the FTC’s move to block the Whole Foods/Wild Oats merger poked fun at a stupid pun appearing in the agency’s press release: “If Whole Foods is allowed to devour Wild Oats, it will mean higher prices, reduced quality, and fewer choices for consumers. That is a deal consumers should not ... FTC Rethinks Bad Pun?