In economics, the subaddivity effect refers to a property exhibited by certain types of goods or services where increased consumption of a bundle of items leads to a relatively smaller increase in total utility compared to consuming each item separately. This effect arises due to the diminishing marginal utility associated with consuming additional quantities of a good or service.

Key Points:

• The subaddivity effect is commonly observed in goods and services that are complementary or related to each other in some way.
• Consuming a larger bundle of complementary goods may not proportionately increase the overall satisfaction or utility derived from consuming those goods.
• This effect can have implications for pricing, consumer behavior, and the analysis of market demand.
• Understanding the subaddivity effect is important for businesses and policymakers when making decisions related to product bundling, pricing strategies, and optimizing consumer welfare.