What is the term for when businesses produce goods and services that consumers do not want​

Productive (technical) inefficiency.

Explanation:

A market failure can be defined as a situation in which the market fails to produce an efficient level of productivity or output that is required to meet consumer demand.

This ultimately implies that, a market failure arises when there is inefficiency in the distribution or allocation of goods and services in a free market.

In Economics, there are two types of inefficiency associated with the production of goods and services, these includes;

1. Allocative inefficiency: it occurs when businesses do not maximise output from the given inputs. Thus, it arises when businesses fail to increase the level of their production or productivity from a number of given inputs.

In conclusion, allocative inefficiency typically occurs when the price of a good or service isn't equal to its marginal cost i.e P ≠ MC.

2. Productive (technical) inefficiency: it occurs when businesses produce goods and services that consumers do not want.​ This is typically as a result of the incorrect and inefficient allocation of scarce resources by a business firm or entity.

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