December 2015

The FTC opens the hood on automobile distribution

By: Tara Isa Koslov, Office of Policy Planning, and James Frost, Bureau of Competition | Dec 14, 2015 5:38PM

For many of us, the holiday season involves at least one loooong automobile ride. We travel over the river and through the woods in our beloved cars, our trunks stuffed with presents for family and friends. Today, the way we buy those presents and the way we buy the car that carries them look very different. While the retail landscape has changed dramatically in the last 50 years, the system of automobile sales in the United States has stayed mostly the same. Are consumers benefitting from the current distribution system for automobiles or are changes needed?

Continue Reading The FTC opens the hood on automobile distribution

Competition sparks improvements in local electricity markets

By: John Seesel, Office of the General Counsel, and Jim Mongoven, Bureau of Competition | Dec 1, 2015 12:59PM

The New York State Public Service Commission is on a path to move away from traditional cost-of-service regulation for electric utilities. This is good news for New York consumers who might be looking to lower their electric bill or reduce their reliance on the power grid. In fact, the policy move is motivated by advances in energy technology, increased concerns about the environmental impact of fossil-fuel generation, and consumers’ interest in having more direct control over their electric service.

Continue Reading Competition sparks improvements in local electricity markets