kuluttajahyötymksen

Kuluttajahyötymys, often translated as consumer surplus, is an economic concept that measures the benefit consumers receive when they are willing to pay more for a good or service than the actual price they pay. It represents the difference between the maximum price a consumer is willing to pay and the market price.

This surplus arises due to market dynamics. When the market price for a good or service falls below what some consumers would have been willing to pay, those consumers experience a net gain. For example, if a consumer is willing to pay $10 for a product but it is available in the market for $6, they receive a consumer surplus of $4 on that purchase.

The total consumer surplus in a market is the sum of the individual surpluses of all consumers who purchase the good or service. It is often visualized as the area below the demand curve and above the market price line in a supply and demand graph. Factors such as price reductions, increased competition, or improvements in product quality can lead to an increase in consumer surplus. Conversely, price increases or decreases in consumer willingness to pay can reduce consumer surplus. It is a key indicator used in welfare economics to assess the overall well-being of consumers within a market.