Fifth Symposium on Trends in Retail Competition: Private Labels, Brands and Competition Policy

Organized by Centre for Competition Law & Policy

Private label is a growing force across Europe, present in most categories and providing a range of choice for shoppers from the value to the premium. These private label portfolios contribute to competition between retailers, differentiating one retailer from another and building store loyalty.

At the same time, the growing sophistication of private label is increasing competition with branded goods suppliers, and the rule of thumb that private labels are cheaper than brands is no longer always true.

This symposium, hosted by the Oxford Institute of European and Comparative Law in conjunction with the Centre for Competition Law and Policy and sponsored by the law firm Bristows, will explore the role of private labels in competition between retailers and between suppliers. It will consider the implications for suppliers when an important retail customer is also a major competitor and the issues posed when the retail customer has buyer power.

Sean-Paul Brankin is a presenter at this symposium. He will be discussing "remedies to abuses of buyer power in different jurisdictions."