OCR A Level Economics Paper 1 Question Paper

Download the official OCR A Level Economics H460/01 Microeconomics question paper for the June 2025 examination series. This examiner-authentic OCR PDF contains the complete OCR Microeconomics assessment covering market failure, regulation, externalities, monopoly power, behavioural economics, information provision, free markets and government intervention.

The paper begins with a detailed stimulus case study on bottled water consumption and the UK water industry. Students are required to analyse external costs, information failure, producer surplus, market power, environmental damage, privatisation, monopoly behaviour and OFWAT regulation using real-world evidence from the UK water sector.

Section A explores the environmental impact of bottled water, including plastic pollution, CO2 emissions, landfill waste and external costs associated with bottled-water production and consumption. Students also evaluate whether there is market failure in the UK water industry, analysing pollution incidents, shareholder dividends, regional monopoly power, government regulation and the effectiveness of OFWAT in protecting consumers.

The paper includes data-response and evaluative questions focused on regulation, regulatory capture and the benefits of regulating monopoly industries. Candidates are expected to discuss whether regulation of the water industry benefits consumers while applying microeconomic theory to real-world market structures and environmental concerns.

Section B essay options focus on firm objectives, principal-agent problems, oil-price increases, supermarket inflation and cost-push inflationary pressures. Students evaluate whether the principal-agent problem is the main factor influencing firm objectives and analyse whether rising oil prices will always increase supermarket prices in the UK.

Section C focuses on free markets, allocative efficiency, scarce resources and behavioural economics. Candidates evaluate whether free markets provide the most effective allocation of resources and assess the effectiveness of information provision in changing consumer behaviour during events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The paper strongly develops evaluative essay writing, diagram analysis, microeconomic reasoning and application of theory to contemporary economic issues. Students are expected to integrate diagrams such as supply and demand analysis, externality models, monopoly diagrams and behavioural-economics frameworks within balanced evaluative responses.

This OCR H460/01 June 2025 question paper is ideal for timed exam practice, essay planning, data-response preparation and OCR A Level Economics revision. It helps students understand OCR question structure, command words, evaluative techniques and examiner expectations across the Microeconomics specification.

Perfect for students preparing for the 2026 OCR examination series, teachers creating classroom assessments and tutors supporting OCR Economics revision. Pair this paper with the official OCR H460/01 June 2025 mark scheme for complete examiner-guided preparation and assessment practice. Fully compatible with desktop, tablet and mobile PDF viewing.

This document is designed for OCR A Level Economics students preparing for the 2026 examination series, especially candidates studying microeconomics, market failure, monopoly power, externalities, government intervention and behavioural economics. It is particularly useful for learners aiming to improve evaluative essay writing, diagram analysis, application skills and extended-response exam technique.

It is also highly valuable for teachers, tutors, revision-course providers and independent learners who require authentic OCR exam material for classroom assessment, mock examinations, essay-planning practice and targeted OCR Economics revision.