Peter Zaleski, PhD
Professor of Economics | Villanova School of Business
Peter Zaleski, PhD, specializes in markets, pricing and economic strategy.
Areas of Expertise (7)
- Business
- Business Structure
- Economic Strategy
- Markets
- Pricing
- Pricing Strategy
- Consumer Markets
Biography
Dr. Pete Zaleski is a leading expert in the area of markets, pricing, economic strategy and business structure. He has previously commented on food prices and issues around retail business, appearing in The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, TheStreet and Quartz.
Education (3)
- University of Maryland: PhD
- Temple University: MA
- St. Joseph's University: BA
Links
Affiliations (2)
- American Economic Association - Member
- National Association for Business Economics - Member
Select Media Appearances (7)
Why the Only Grocery Stores Growing in San Francisco Are the Most Expensive Ones
The San Francisco Standard
3/22/2025
The surge of high-end specialty markets isn't specific to San Francisco. According to economist Pete Zaleski, the grocery industry's split in two directions has pulled the rug out from under midsize standbys like Safeway and Whole Foods. "On one side, you got the value-seeking customer, and on the other side is what I'd call the 'new experience' customer," said Zaleski, a professor at Villanova University who studies markets, economic strategy and food prices.
McDonald's, Big Mac Prices and America's Big Beef Problem
Quartz
10/28/2024
Not everyone agrees that the overall price of beef has gone up all that much... The price of cuts like sirloin has remained relatively constant, noted Pete Zaleski, a professor of economics at Villanova University and an expert on food pricing. He argued that food prices are cyclical and that measuring from peak to peak gives a better sense of beef price inflation.
Heat Wave: Four Things That Will Rise With the Temperatures
The Christian Science Monitor
7/13/2017
Malls are high on the list of places where people frequent for free air conditioning outside the home. So, it's not a surprise that retail sales jump during heat waves, especially on goods related to keeping cool... "When you see items like these picking up, it's a pretty safe bet they're affected by the weather," says Peter Zaleski, an economist at the Villanova School of Business in Pennsylvania.
Wheat Supplies Tight, Driving Grain Futures Up
TheStreet
10/6/2016
"What happened in wheat over the past few years is that Russian exports began to dominate the world market," says Peter Zaleski, an economics professor at the Villanova School of Business. "In response, U.S. stockpiles increased. That led U.S. farmers to cut back on their acres of wheat planted. With planting reduced, prices could go higher, but if Russia continues to supply the world, any upward pressure on prices due to the U.S. cutback will be tempered."
Will Microsoft's LinkedIn Purchase Pay Off?
Knowledge@Wharton
6/16/2016
Microsoft's planned acquisition of professional services network LinkedIn for $26.2 billion could pay off at several levels... The planned merger is "a good move," according to Peter Zaleski, chair of the department of economics at Villanova University. "Typically, I don't like mergers between two unrelated companies… but there are some synergies here that can be exploited," he said.
Consumers Are Seeking Irresistible Experiences at Shopping Malls
TheStreet
4/15/2016
Although shoppers are feeling the pinch of stagnant wages, they are still heading to the malls because people are "social beings and require human contact," said Peter Zaleski, an economics professor at Villanova School of Business. "Malls will recover, but those that flourish will be the ones that continually renovate and continue to offer a new or unique experience," he said.
What Food Price Increases to Watch Out for in Restaurants and Grocery Stores
TheStreet
7/17/2015
While the surge in cost of eggs has stabilized and pork has become cheaper, consumers should not expect a reprieve in the cost of beef... Restaurants have avoided increasing prices due to the egg shortage, which could be the result of watching how pork prices recovered quickly last year after a virus which infected hogs caused supply to shrink and pushed the price of pork up by 8% to 10% in 2014, said Peter Zaleski, an economics professor at Villanova Business School.
Contact Peter Zaleski, PhD