Abstract
IN RECENT years a number of theoretical papers have addressed both the positive and normative aspects of the problem of how competitive products may be located in space. The major theoretical antecedents have been Hotelling's analysis of spatial competition [6], Chamberlin's analysis of product differentiation [1], [2], and Lancaster's characteristics theory of demand [7]. Unfortunately there has been little corresponding empirical analysis.' Two approaches in the theoretical analysis seem to have predominated: firstly, the examination of the welfare implications of product variety offered in equilibrium conditions,2 and secondly, the dynamics of product competition using the spatial competition analogy.3 This paper which adopts the second approach uses an adaptation of Lancaster's characteristics framework. It examines the process of product competition in the UK agricultural fertiliser market. The first and second sections briefly outline the main features of the goods and spatial competition theories, and the UK fertiliser market respectively. The third section contains the empirical analysis.
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