The Department of Economics is proud to announce that Tayssir Benchoubane, a fourth year Bachelor of Economics and Political Science student, has been announced as a successful candidate of CUROP 2025. The Carleton University Research Opportunity Program (CUROP) holds a competition each year for undergraduate research internships. Candidates design a research project in collaboration with a faculty member and if they are successful they receive funding in order to complete their research project over the summer. Tayssir worked with Professor Hashmat Khan to design his research project.
Hear about Tayssir’s project in his own words:
“Few issues affect Canadians as directly as the price of groceries. With food inflation remaining a persistent concern, many are questioning whether large grocery chains are using their market power to increase prices beyond what’s justified by supply costs. This research would investigate whether grocery retailer concentration contributes to rising food costs across major Canadian urban centers through a range of econometric analysis techniques, covering the period from 2011 to 2025.
It is my hope that this research will develop my expertise in advanced econometric analysis, large-scale data collection, and geographic information systems, while enhancing my programming and policy analysis skills.
More importantly, the implications of this research extend beyond academic interest. Large firms often claim that industry consolidation leads to lower prices through economies of scale. However, if this research finds that fewer competitors correlate with higher grocery prices, it would raise serious questions about corporate accountability and the need for stronger antitrust enforcement. I, for one, feel the pinch at the checkout line! Millions of Canadians feel the same – understanding the forces behind rising grocery costs is therefore both timely and necessary.”
Congratulations Tayssir on this incredible achievement and we wish you all the best for your research project this summer!