Efficiency Effects of Exclusive Territories: Evidence from the Indiana Beer Market

The welfare effects of vertically imposed exclusive territories and the appropriate antitrust policy toward them have long been debated. This paper sheds light on the exclusive-territory controversy by examining the effects of Indiana's 1979 ban on the grant of exclusive territories to beer wholesalers. Using time-series data for 1948-90, the authors find the ban reduced beer consumption in Indiana by 6 percent. Coupled with previous evidence that Indiana's ban reduced price, their results suggest that exclusive territories in the beer industry increase demand and enhance welfare by stimulating the provision of dealer services. Copyright 1996 by Oxford University Press.

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