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Is food labelling effective in reducing climate impact by encouraging the substitution of protein sources?

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  • Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina
  • Lagerkvist, Carl-Johan

Abstract

This study investigates consumer willingness to substitute high-emissions meat products with lower-emissions protein products, including blends of meat and vegetables. Survey data, including a choice experiment, are combined with data on the respondents’ actual purchase behaviour. The traffic light carbon label has an effect on choice behaviour, as it increases the willingness to purchase lower-emissions protein products such as chicken and meat substitutes. We further find that the willingness to purchase these lower-emissions products is largest among individuals who are already purchasing most sustainably. We discuss policy implications from the expected impacts of carbon labels, and how such labels affect different types of consumers.

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  • Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina & Lagerkvist, Carl-Johan, 2021. "Is food labelling effective in reducing climate impact by encouraging the substitution of protein sources?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:101:y:2021:i:c:s0306919221000762
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102097
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    4. Ortega, David L. & Sun, Jiayu & Lin, Wen, 2022. "Identity labels as an instrument to reduce meat demand and encourage consumption of plant based and cultured meat alternatives in China," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    5. Coralie Hellwig & Kim Bolton & Greta Häggblom-Kronlöf & Kamran Rousta, 2022. "Aspects Affecting Food Choice in Daily Life as Well as Drivers and Barriers to Engagement with Fungi-Based Food—A Qualitative Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-25, December.
    6. Daniele Asioli & Marija Banovic & Ada Maria Barone & Simona Grasso & Rodolfo M. Nayga, 2023. "European consumers' valuation for hybrid meat: Does information matter?," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(1), pages 44-62, March.
    7. Bazoche, Pascale & Guinet, Nicolas & Poret, Sylvaine & Teyssier, Sabrina, 2023. "Does the provision of information increase the substitution of animal proteins with plant-based proteins? An experimental investigation into consumer choices," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    8. Carlsson, Fredrik & Kataria, Mitesh & Lampi, Elina, 2021. "Sustainable food: can food labels make consumers switch to meat substitutes?," Working Papers in Economics 816, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    9. Carlsson, Fredrik & Kataria, Mitesh & Lampi, Elina, 2022. "Sustainable food: Can information from food labels make consumers switch to meat substitutes?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    10. Martin C. Parlasca & Matin Qaim, 2022. "Meat Consumption and Sustainability," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 17-41, October.
    11. Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina & Lagerkvist, Carl-Johan, 2024. "Can gene-editing accelerate the protein shift? Consumer acceptance of an upcycled meat-substitute," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    12. Ang, Ming Yang Avon & Pontes, Nicolas & France, Cassandra, 2024. "Unsustainable burgers? Deploying carbon footprint labels to enhance sustainability perceptions of animal-based food products," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    13. Sheng, Jiping & Su, Wenfan & Li, Songhan, 2021. "Studies on Chinese consumers' willingness to pay for plant-based milk and its influencing factors based on CVM," 2021 ASAE 10th International Conference (Virtual), January 11-13, Beijing, China 329422, Asian Society of Agricultural Economists (ASAE).
    14. Anika Trebbin & Katrin Geburt, 2024. "Carbon and Environmental Labelling of Food Products: Insights into the Data on Display," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-28, December.
    15. Schulze, Christoph & Matzdorf, Bettina & Rommel, Jens & Czajkowski, Mikołaj & García-Llorente, Marina & Gutiérrez-Briceño, Inés & Larsson, Lina & Zagórska, Katarzyna & Zawadzki, Wojciech, 2024. "Between farms and forks: Food industry perspectives on the future of EU food labelling," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    16. Casati, Mirta & Soregaroli, Claudio & Rommel, Jens & Luzzani, Gloria & Stranieri, Stefanella, 2023. "Please keep ordering! A natural field experiment assessing a carbon label introduction," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    17. Daniel Francisco Pais & António Cardoso Marques & José Alberto Fuinhas, 2023. "How to Promote Healthier and More Sustainable Food Choices: The Case of Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-23, February.
    18. Lohmann, Paul M. & Gsottbauer, Elisabeth & Doherty, Anya & Kontoleon, Andreas, 2022. "Do carbon footprint labels promote climatarian diets? Evidence from a large-scale field experiment," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Carbon label; Climate label; Choice analysis; Stated preferences; Purchase behaviour;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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