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The future of carbon labeling - Factors to consider

Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina LU and Nordström, Jonas LU (2023) In Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 12(120).
Abstract

Compared to other policy instruments that aim to change consumer behavior, information provision is perhaps the least controversial. An important question is how information in the form of carbon labels can contribute to direct food consumption toward reduced climate impact. From a policy guidance perspective, there is a need to identify how the labeling strategy affects consumers' ability to identify lower emitting food products and the behavioral change due to carbon information. Key aspects of a carbon label are discussed, as well as the implications of different labeling schemes. Drawing on economic and behavioral theories, we propose that, to assist consumers in identifying changes in consumption that contribute to significant... (More)

Compared to other policy instruments that aim to change consumer behavior, information provision is perhaps the least controversial. An important question is how information in the form of carbon labels can contribute to direct food consumption toward reduced climate impact. From a policy guidance perspective, there is a need to identify how the labeling strategy affects consumers' ability to identify lower emitting food products and the behavioral change due to carbon information. Key aspects of a carbon label are discussed, as well as the implications of different labeling schemes. Drawing on economic and behavioral theories, we propose that, to assist consumers in identifying changes in consumption that contribute to significant reductions in their climate impact, a carbon label must enable comparisons between product groups and not only within narrowly defined product groups. This suggests mandatory labeling, since producers of high-emission products are less likely to display such labels. However, it is important to consider both costs and benefits of labeling schemes and to consider complementing labeling with other policy instruments.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
carbon label, climate label, consumer behavior, food choice
in
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review
volume
12
issue
120
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85151565399
ISSN
1068-2805
DOI
10.1017/age.2022.29
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5147f12d-f972-41bd-87fd-5a53360cc6c6
date added to LUP
2023-05-23 09:55:48
date last changed
2024-01-05 01:50:14
@article{5147f12d-f972-41bd-87fd-5a53360cc6c6,
  abstract     = {{<p>Compared to other policy instruments that aim to change consumer behavior, information provision is perhaps the least controversial. An important question is how information in the form of carbon labels can contribute to direct food consumption toward reduced climate impact. From a policy guidance perspective, there is a need to identify how the labeling strategy affects consumers' ability to identify lower emitting food products and the behavioral change due to carbon information. Key aspects of a carbon label are discussed, as well as the implications of different labeling schemes. Drawing on economic and behavioral theories, we propose that, to assist consumers in identifying changes in consumption that contribute to significant reductions in their climate impact, a carbon label must enable comparisons between product groups and not only within narrowly defined product groups. This suggests mandatory labeling, since producers of high-emission products are less likely to display such labels. However, it is important to consider both costs and benefits of labeling schemes and to consider complementing labeling with other policy instruments.</p>}},
  author       = {{Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina and Nordström, Jonas}},
  issn         = {{1068-2805}},
  keywords     = {{carbon label; climate label; consumer behavior; food choice}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{120}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Agricultural and Resource Economics Review}},
  title        = {{The future of carbon labeling - Factors to consider}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/age.2022.29}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/age.2022.29}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}