Response to the Comments of Professor Boddewyn
Professor Boddewyn (1988) raises a number of specific points, and several broad questions that go beyond the subject of our paper (Hamilton & Whinnett, 1987); we will respond directly to each of these. The two general reasons for his dissatisfaction seem to be: (a) we did not give complementary interpretations of our data, and (b) our conclusion that industry self-regulation is nearly empty of benefits is not proven.
On the first point, it would be very stimulating to discuss other interpretations of the data, but without knowing what Professor Boddewyn has in mind it is difficult to respond. On the second point, we are misrepresented. We write about codes, not the less specific self-regulation. We argue that a "drafted by sellers" type of code offers few improvements in the situation of the consumer in the market. A few codes are created in other ways. The "drafted by sellers" codes, however, can offer benefits to the sellers, by warding off threats, as the UK Code on Babymilk Substitutes shows.
Our analysis is based on the text (of two codes) and the marketing mix for the product, and we demonstrate the need to study both in detail to be able to assess what any code offers the consumers and the producers. We have not considered the impact a code has had on the actions of the producers, to see if any potential benefit to consumers becomes a reality. That would be a necessary, and difficult, further step in judging the usefulness of voluntary codes. Monitoring carried out by the OFT and the Consumers Association on some codes indicates a very limited impact (OFT, several dates: Consumers Association, 1987).
Professor Boddewyn's defense of self-regulation makes criticisms of detail in our paper and also raises some very broad issues: defining interests, theories of consumer organisations, elitism. We think it best for clarity to respond to this mix of subjects as they arise in the critique, replying to each section in turn.
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