Staff Biographical Page: Ephraim Leibtag

Briefly

Ephraim Leibtag, an economist with USDA’s Economic Research Service, researches retail food prices and the dynamics of retail food markets. His research interests include tracking, forecasting, and analyzing trends in retail food markets and his work is used in presentations to government officials, policy analysts, the research community, and other public audiences. He has conducted radio, newspaper, and magazine interviews on retail food price trends.

Current Projects

• CPI for Food Forecasting and Analysis
• Scanner Data research on food prices and food purchase behavior
• Supermarket Characteristics, Supermarket Costs, Supermarket Performance

Education

Ph.D. Economics, University of Maryland at College Park, 2002.
M.A. Economics, University of Maryland at College Park, 1998.
B.A. Economics, Yeshiva University, 1996.

Publications

ERS publications by this author

CPI Bias from Supercenters: Does the BLS Know that Wal-Mart Exists? presented at the NBER/CRIW Conference on Price Index Concepts and Measurements, Vancouver, Canada, June 2004.

"The 2004 Retail Food Price Outlook" presented at the 2004 Agricultural Outlook Forum, February 2004.

Exploring Food Purchase Behavior of Low-Income Households: How Do They Economize?," Current Issues in Economics of Food Markets, Agricultural Information Bulletin 747-07, June 2003.

"Food Price Briefing" presented at the 2003 Agricultural Outlook Forum, February 2003.

"Determinants of Retail Price Margins and Quality Adjustment of Retail Price Indices" presented at the Center for Economic Studies Seminar Series, U.S. Census Bureau, February 2002.

"Economizing Practices of Lower Income Households: How Differences in Income Impact Food Purchases" presented at the ERS Summer Intern Series, August 2001.