Current:Home > NewsThe ice cream conspiracy -Ascend Finance Compass
The ice cream conspiracy
Chainkeen Exchange View
Date:2025-04-10 13:46:25
Take a look in any supermarket ice cream freezer section and you may see a mystery. There are big containers of the typical ice cream brands: Breyers, Turkey Hill, and Edy's. And there are specialty brands that make gelato, low-fat and vegan ice creams. And then there are the fancy pints: which is mostly Ben & Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs.
Häagen-Dazs has flavors like vanilla, chocolate, pistachio—the sort of flavors that run smooth. And then Ben & Jerry's specializes in chunky flavors: Cherry Garcia, The Tonight Dough, Chunky Monkey, etc. The two hardly ever cross into the other's turf. Why?
It's possible they are experiencing something common to natural competition—they are specializing in what works best for them. But, as Christopher Sullivan of the University of Wisconsin-Madison suspects, the two companies may be engaging in what is known as "tacit collusion," where two parties silently agree to...stick to their own territory.
We try to get to the creamy core of what makes up a conspiracy, and how the consumer eventually loses out in this cold, cold war.
Today's episode was produced by Willa Rubin and Alyssa Jeong Perry. It was engineered by Josh Newell and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. It was edited by Jess Jiang.
Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
Always free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR One or anywhere you get podcasts.
Find more Planet Money: Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
Music: "The Cornice," "A Curious Tale" and "Reverend."
veryGood! (17)
prev:Average rate on 30
Related
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Former tennis great Michael Chang the focus of new ESPN documentary
- Torri Huske, Gretchen Walsh swim to Olympic gold, silver in women's 100 butterfly
- Rita Ora spends night in hospital, cancels live performance: 'I must rest'
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- National Chicken Wing Day deals: Get free wings at Wingstop, Buffalo Wild Wings, more
- Houston Texans lineman Denico Autry suspended six games for violating NFL's PED policy
- Team USA Water Polo Star Maggie Steffens' Sister-in-Law Dies After Traveling to Paris Olympics
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Magnitude 4.5 earthquake hits Utah; no damage or injuries immediately reported
Ranking
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Who is Doctor Doom? Robert Downey Jr.'s shocking Marvel casting explained
- Another Olympics celebrity fan? Jason Kelce pledges for Ilona Maher, US women's rugby
- Gospel group the Nelons being flown by Georgia state official in fatal Wyoming crash
- New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
- 'Deadpool & Wolverine' pulverizes a slew of records with $205M opening
- Taylor Swift's YouTube live during Germany show prompts Swifties to speculate surprise announcement
- Kiss and Tell With 50% Off National Lipstick Day Deals: Fenty Beauty, Sephora, Ulta, MAC & More
Recommendation
US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
Nellie Biles talks reaction to Simone Biles' calf tweak, pride in watching her at Olympics
9 Self-Tanners to Help Make Your Summer Tan Last
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler has been a normal dad and tourist at Paris Olympics
California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Trump and Harris enter 99-day sprint to decide an election that has suddenly transformed
How long are cats pregnant? Expert tips for owners before the kittens arrive.
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Mama