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 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.

Keywords

carbon label; climate label; consumer behavior; food choice

Published in

Agricultural and Resource Economics Review
2023, Volume: 52, number: 1, pages: 151-167

SLU Authors

• Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina

  • Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Nordström, Jonas

  • Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Dalarna University
  • Lund University

Sustainable Development Goals

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns


UKÄ Subject classification

Economics


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/age.2022.29

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/127517