Behavioral Responses to Science-based Eco-labeling: Gold, Silver, or Bronze
| Author(s) | Li, Tongzhe | |
| Author(s) | Kecinski, Maik | |
| Author(s) | Messer, Kent D. | |
| Date Accessioned | 2018-02-28T19:32:08Z | |
| Date Available | 2018-02-28T19:32:08Z | |
| Publication Date | 2018-02 | |
| Abstract | This study uses unique data collected from field experiments to investigate consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for otherwise homogeneous commodities that provide different levels of environmental services. On average, individuals are willing to pay more for products that provide a higher level of ecosystem services. This effect is larger when the label contains symbols that explicitly differentiate the levels and the magnitude is further amplified when it contains brief information on the scientific basis for the levels. However, our results also suggest that the WTP premium for the superior product is smaller than the discount in WTP for the inferior product. JEL Classifications: D12, Q55, M31, L10 | en_US |
| Sponsor | The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from U.S. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grant (NA14OAR4170087), State of Delaware Federal Research and Development Matching Grant Program grant (16A00407), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service CBEAR award (59-6000-4-0064), National Science Foundation EPSCoR Rii3 (1301765), and USDA Hatch. This is one of multiple experimental studies conducted under the aforementioned funding sources. We thank Sunny Jardine, George Parsons, John Ewart, Edward Lewandowski, and Doris Hicks for their helpful comments. We also thank Daniel Awokuse, George Esterling, Linda Grand, James Geisler, Julia Parker, Francesca Piccone, Kaitlynn Ritchie, Maddi Valinski, Shang Wu, and Huidong Xu for research assistance. | en_US |
| Citation | Kecinski, M., T. Li, K.D. Messer. “Behavioral Responses to Science Based Eco-labeling: Gold, Silver, or Bronze.” Applied Economics and Statistics Research Report, University of Delaware, RR18-04. | en_US |
| URL | http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/23048 | |
| Language | en_US | en_US |
| Publisher | Department of Applied Economics and Statistics, University of Delaware, Newark, DE. | en_US |
| Part of Series | APEC Research Reports;RR18-04 | |
| Keywords | Eco-labeling | en_US |
| Keywords | Ecosystem services | en_US |
| Keywords | Field experiment | en_US |
| Keywords | Consumer preferences | en_US |
| Title | Behavioral Responses to Science-based Eco-labeling: Gold, Silver, or Bronze | en_US |
| Type | Working Paper | en_US |