Last-minute bookings are, basically, a way to get rid of stock that's still left on the shelf - you might call it distressed stock that simply won't sell without a bargain basement pricelabel.
The maker of Scotch-brand tape was sued by a competitor who accused 3M (nyse: MMM - news - people ) of using price rebates to break into the market for private-label tape.
In effect, the branded cereal would cede the most price-sensitive segment of the market to the own-label cereal, in the hope that the own-label firm will keep its prices up.
At the same time, pushing the private label keeps the pressure on manufacturers of nationally branded goods to keep their own price increases in check.