Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

This dataset contains the results of a survey gauging public attitudes in Britain to price-fixing and cartel enforcement mechanisms. This was the first ever survey of consumer attitudes to cartels. To ensure balanced and unbiased results, respondents were mainly presented with various scenarios and were asked to either agree or strongly agree with one of two balanced alternatives. They also had the option to agree with neither, or select "don't know". The survey asked respondents about their shopping preferences, about their attitudes towards price-fixing, and their attitudes towards punishment for individuals and firms engaged in such practices, also controlling for the size and type of business. The results indicate that the majority of Britons (73%) recognise the harmful effects of price-fixing. They understand that colluding competitors will set prices so as to maximise their collective profits to the detriment of their customers. They also recognise the need for such behaviour to be punished, and do not feel that crisis cartels for the protection of employment or small businesses should be exempt.

A later international survey conducted by the same centre, Public Attitudes to Price Fixing and Cartel Enforcement in Britain, Germany, Italy and the United States, 2014, is available under SN 7885.


Main Topics:

Attitudes to price fixing and responses to related scenarios, demographic data.