Blog and updates
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15 Jul 2021
Health Economics and Market Failure - Food strategy calls for £3bn sugar and salt tax to improve UK’s diet
The UK National Food Strategy has outlined proposals for a levy on sugar and salt to tackle the perceived obesity crisis.
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15 Jul 2021
Regional Economics - former coal town Blyth leads the race for clean energy
This superb video from the FT looks at how the clean energy revolution is changing the landscape of the north-east coastal town of Blyth.
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15 Jul 2021
Development economics - West Africa looks to create a regional electricity market
West Africa is looking to increase its energy security, by creating a regional electricity market to facilitate regional trade in power.
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15 Jul 2021
Vertical integration - Cigarette manufacturer bids to buy an inhaler business
Philip Morris, one of the world's largest tobacco companies, is bidding to acquire UK asthma drugmaker Vectura which manufactures inhalers and nebulisers.
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14 Jul 2021
Market failure and government failure - Southern Water dumped raw sewage into sea for years
It is difficult to think of a more egregious example of how cost-cutting by privatised, profit-seeking corporations can lead to such damaging effects on the environment.
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13 Jul 2021
Regional economics - what does levelling up mean and how can it be achieved?
In his latest blog post, Paul Ormerod argues that successful levelling up will require both experimentation and risks to be taken with public funds.
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12 Jul 2021
UK sees first mid-recession wealth boom since the mid-1940s
According to new data from the Resolution Foundation, the UK is experiencing the first mid-recession wealth boom since the 1940s.
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12 Jul 2021
ECO - Free Magazine from the Economics Observatory
The opening edition of ECO - a magazine published and made freely available by @EconObservatory is a terrific read.
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11 Jul 2021
Labour market reforms - Four-day week 'a success' in Iceland
Does cutting the working week help to improve productivity? Here is a good story to link to your study of labour market economics.
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10 Jul 2021
Economic uncertainty - we are not returning to normal
Stephen King argues in this short comment piece that economic uncertainties remain pervasive.
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9 Jul 2021
Economics Weekly Quiz - 09 July 2021
Which political party is encouraging us to 'buy British'? Which manufacturer launched its last ever petrol-fuelled car? Why have house prices fallen? All these questions and more in this week's...
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9 Jul 2021
Contestable markets - why is digital so disruptive?
In the 2021 Royal Economic Society Annual Public Lecture, Professor Diane Coyle explores some of the "winner takes all characteristics" of many of the superstar digital businesses.
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8 Jul 2021
Labour supply - lorry driver shortage threatens to cause a surge in cost-push inflation
The estimated shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers makes for a superb introductory economics lesson.
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8 Jul 2021
Economies of Scale - How 1.6 Million Tonnes Of Paper A Year Are Made
Economies of scale, the role of research and increasing capital intensity of production are key features of this short video which pays a visit to the Navigator paper company in Portugal.
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7 Jul 2021
Globalisation and Trade - Will China become the centre of the world economy?
Will China continue to become the centre of the world economy? Or will the global economy fragment into a regionalised rather than a unified global system?
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6 Jul 2021
Ancillary revenue: TFL hit by steep decline in advertising board revenues
Here is a good example of ancillary revenues for businesses. Transport for London has experienced a steep decline in the advertising revenues they get from a huge estate of bill-boards, posters and...
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5 Jul 2021
Derived demand - surge in sales of white vans
Thousands of us who have suffered from the road rage associated with white van drivers may be disturbed to see that demand for medium sized white delivery vans continues to surge.
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5 Jul 2021
Head Start Reading and Watching for A Level Economics
Here are some suggestions for reading and wider preparation to give you a head start in your A Level Economics studies.
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2 Jul 2021
Economics Weekly Quiz - 02 July 2021
When is the UK government planning to end the generation of electricity using coal? Which indirect tax came to the end of its 'holiday'? What type of clothing has seen a huge surge in demand at...
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25 Jun 2021
Economics Weekly Quiz - 25 June 2021
The government announced that it is to ban advertising of what product before 9pm? Who features on the new £50 note? What's the BoE's prediction for inflation in 2021? All these questions and more...
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