Would a Boycott Reduce Gas Prices?
#spacer{clear:left}#abc #sidebar{margin-top:1.5em}if(zs>0){zSB(3,3)}else{gEI(“spacer”).style.display=’none’;gEI(“sidebar”).style.display=’none’}A reader writes: I was always taught that competition is the best way to influence prices. That being said would it make sense to boycott one or more gas companies in an effort to bring down prices? A boycott of one or two gas companies could actually increase prices, since there would be fewer places to buy gas. Those companies that were boycotted would simply sell their gas to those that weren’t boycotted, defeating the purpose. Could a boycott of all gas companies reduce gas prices? Only if it reduced demand for oil enough to lower oil prices. That’s because gasoline accounts for only 20% of each barrel of oil. Oil companies would still profit from the non-gasoline parts of their business, such as jet fuel, heating oil and other industrial uses. Therefore, even if consumers could conceivably stop 100% of gasoline use, oil prices might still
