IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v202y2024ics1364032124004349.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Eco-labels as a communication and policy tool: A comprehensive review of academic literature and global label initiatives

Author

Listed:
  • Nakaishi, Tomoaki
  • Chapman, Andrew

Abstract

Eco-labels are one potential tool to facilitate communication between producers and consumers and to promote environmental and social policies. The main objective of this study is to investigate the successes and limitations of eco-labels through a comprehensive review of the academic literature and the label programs themselves, and to discuss the potential and directions for future academic research and eco-labels. The initial literature review examined the definition, characteristics, objectives, successes, and challenges of eco-labels and identified essential elements of successful labeling, such as consumer awareness and acceptance. The subsequent review of label programs examined the characteristics and trends of 456 label programs in 199 countries based on a large eco-label database. Several additional analyses comprehensively synthesized the results of these two studies and provided specific suggestions for future academic research and label programs. In conclusion, at this time there is limited evidence that eco-labels can serve as effective communication and policy tools. However, there also remain significant improvement opportunities for many label programs to realize their potential.

Suggested Citation

  • Nakaishi, Tomoaki & Chapman, Andrew, 2024. "Eco-labels as a communication and policy tool: A comprehensive review of academic literature and global label initiatives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:202:y:2024:i:c:s1364032124004349
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2024.114708
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032124004349
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2024.114708?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cathy A. Roheim & Frank Asche & Julie Insignares Santos, 2011. "The Elusive Price Premium for Ecolabelled Products: Evidence from Seafood in the UK Market," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(3), pages 655-668, September.
    2. Tritsch, Isabelle & Le Velly, Gwenolé & Mertens, Benoit & Meyfroidt, Patrick & Sannier, Christophe & Makak, Jean-Sylvestre & Houngbedji, Kenneth, 2020. "Do forest-management plans and FSC certification help avoid deforestation in the Congo Basin?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    3. Jason Walter & Yang-Ming Chang, 2017. "Green certification, heterogeneous producers, and green consumers: a welfare analysis of environmental regulations," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 52(3), pages 333-361, December.
    4. Gilles Grolleau & Lisette Ibanez & Naoufel Mzoughi & Mario Teisl, 2016. "Helping eco-labels to fulfil their promises," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(6), pages 792-802, August.
    5. Anne-Célia Disdier & Stéphan Marette, 2012. "Taxes, minimum-quality standards and/or product labeling to improve environmental quality and welfare: Experiments can provide answers," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 337-357, June.
    6. Gorton, Matthew & Tocco, Barbara & Yeh, Ching-Hua & Hartmann, Monika, 2021. "What determines consumers' use of eco-labels? Taking a close look at label trust," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    7. Blackman, Allen & Naranjo, Maria A., 2012. "Does eco-certification have environmental benefits? Organic coffee in Costa Rica," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 58-66.
    8. Baiardi, Donatella & Morana, Claudio, 2021. "Climate change awareness: Empirical evidence for the European Union," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    9. repec:hal:pseose:halshs-00754589 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Olivier Bonroy & Christos Constantatos, 2008. "On the use of labels in credence goods markets," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 237-252, June.
    11. Takahashi, Ryo & Todo, Yasuyuki, 2013. "Impact of a Shade Coffee Certification Program on Forest Conservation:A Case Study from a Wild Coffee Forest in Ethiopia," Working Papers 55, JICA Research Institute.
    12. Huilan Tian, 2003. "Eco-labelling scheme, environmental protection, and protectionism," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 36(3), pages 608-633, August.
    13. Rana, Pushpendra & Sills, Erin O., 2024. "Inviting oversight: Effects of forest certification on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    14. Joop de Boer, 2003. "Sustainability labelling schemes: the logic of their claims and their functions for stakeholders," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(4), pages 254-264, July.
    15. Maurizio Canavari & Silvia Coderoni, 2020. "Consumer stated preferences for dairy products with carbon footprint labels in Italy," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-16, December.
    16. Blackman, Allen & Goff, Leonard & Rivera Planter, Marisol, 2018. "Does eco-certification stem tropical deforestation? Forest Stewardship Council certification in Mexico," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 306-333.
    17. Yokessa, Maïmouna & Marette, Stéphan, 2019. "A Review of Eco-labels and their Economic Impact," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 13(1-2), pages 119-163, April.
    18. Khan Md Raziuddin Taufique & Chamhuri Siwar & Basri Talib & Farah Hasan Sarah & Norshamliza Chamhuri, 2014. "Synthesis of Constructs for Modeling Consumers’ Understanding and Perception of Eco-Labels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-25, April.
    19. Nicole Darnall & Hyunjung Ji & Diego A. Vázquez-Brust, 2018. "Third-Party Certification, Sponsorship, and Consumers’ Ecolabel Use," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(4), pages 953-969, July.
    20. F. Testa & F. Iraldo & A Vaccari & E. Ferrari, 2015. "Why Eco‐labels can be Effective Marketing Tools: Evidence from a Study on Italian Consumers," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(4), pages 252-265, May.
    21. Khachatryan, Hayk & Rihn, Alicia & Wei, Xuan, 2021. "Consumers’ Preferences for Eco-labels on Plants: The Influence of Trust and Consequentiality Perceptions," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    22. Ibanez, Marcela & Blackman, Allen, 2016. "Is Eco-Certification a Win–Win for Developing Country Agriculture? Organic Coffee Certification in Colombia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 14-27.
    23. Frieder Rubik & Paolo Frankl & Lucia Pietroni & Dirk Scheer, 2007. "Eco-labelling and consumers: towards a re-focus and integrated approaches," International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(2), pages 175-191.
    24. Olivier Bonroy & Christos Constantatos, 2015. "On the Economics of Labels: How Their Introduction Affects the Functioning of Markets and the Welfare of All Participants," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 97(1), pages 239-259.
    25. Doremus, Jacqueline, 2019. "Unintended impacts from forest certification: Evidence from indigenous Aka households in Congo," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-1.
    26. Hallstein, Eric & Villas-Boas, Sofia B., 2013. "Can household consumers save the wild fish? Lessons from a sustainable seafood advisory," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 52-71.
    27. Laura Villalobos & Jessica Coria & Anna Nordén, 2018. "Has Forest Certification Reduced Forest Degradation in Sweden?," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 94(2), pages 220-238.
    28. Bjerregaard, Casper & Møller, Niels Framroze, 2019. "The impact of EU's energy labeling policy: An econometric analysis of increased transparency in the market for cold appliances in Denmark," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 891-899.
    29. Miemie Struwig & Chris Adendorff, 2018. "Consumers' Perception of Eco-labels in South Africa," Athens Journal of Business & Economics, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), vol. 4(2), pages 163-178, April.
    30. Guillaume Gruère, 2015. "An Analysis of the Growth in Environmental Labelling and Information Schemes," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 1-18, March.
    31. Axel Franzen & Dominikus Vogl, 2013. "Acquiescence and the Willingness to Pay for Environmental Protection: A Comparison of the ISSP, WVS, and EVS," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 94(3), pages 637-659, September.
    32. Banerjee, Abhijit & Solomon, Barry D., 2003. "Eco-labeling for energy efficiency and sustainability: a meta-evaluation of US programs," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 109-123, January.
    33. Saari, Ulla A. & Damberg, Svenja & Frömbling, Lena & Ringle, Christian M., 2021. "Sustainable consumption behavior of Europeans: The influence of environmental knowledge and risk perception on environmental concern and behavioral intention," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    34. Brécard, Dorothée & Hlaimi, Boubaker & Lucas, Sterenn & Perraudeau, Yves & Salladarré, Frédéric, 2009. "Determinants of demand for green products: An application to eco-label demand for fish in Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 115-125, November.
    35. Jaffry, Shabbar & Pickering, Helen & Ghulam, Yaseen & Whitmarsh, David & Wattage, Prem, 2004. "Consumer choices for quality and sustainability labelled seafood products in the UK," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 215-228, June.
    36. Qiu, Yueming & Kahn, Matthew E., 2019. "Impact of voluntary green certification on building energy performance," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 461-475.
    37. Stadelmann, Marcel & Schubert, Renate, 2018. "How Do Different Designs of Energy Labels Influence Purchases of Household Appliances? A Field Study in Switzerland," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 112-123.
    38. Camilla C. Erskine & Lyndhurst Collins, 1997. "Eco-labelling: success or failure?," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 125-133, June.
    39. Rico-Straffon, Jimena & Wang, Zhenhua & Panlasigui, Stephanie & Loucks, Colby J. & Swenson, Jennifer & Pfaff, Alexander, 2023. "Forest concessions and eco-certifications in the Peruvian Amazon: Deforestation impacts of logging rights and logging restrictions," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yokessa, Maïmouna & Marette, Stéphan, 2019. "A Review of Eco-labels and their Economic Impact," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 13(1-2), pages 119-163, April.
    2. Frank Wijen & Mireille Chiroleu-Assouline, 2019. "Controversy Over Voluntary Environmental Standards: A Socioeconomic Analysis of the Marine Stewardship Council," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-02071504, HAL.
    3. Alexis Gutierrez & Thomas F. Thornton, 2014. "Can Consumers Understand Sustainability through Seafood Eco-Labels? A U.S. and UK Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(11), pages 1-23, November.
    4. Cole, Matthew T. & Doremus, Jacqueline M. & Hamilton, Stephen F., 2021. "Import restrictions by eco-certification: Quantity effects on tropical timber production," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    5. Johan Blomquist & Valerio Bartolino & Staffan Waldo, 2015. "Price Premiums for Providing Eco‐labelled Seafood: Evidence from MSC‐certified Cod in Sweden," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(3), pages 690-704, September.
    6. Robert Fonner, 2015. "Willingness to Pay for Multiple Seafood Labels in a Niche Market," Marine Resource Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 30(1), pages 51-70.
    7. Davide Menozzi & Thong Tien Nguyen & Giovanni Sogari & Dimitar Taskov & Sterenn Lucas & José Luis Santiago Castro-Rial & Cristina Mora, 2020. "Consumers’ Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Fish Products with Health and Environmental Labels: Evidence from Five European Countries," Post-Print hal-02935812, HAL.
    8. Roheim, Cathy A. & Zhang, Dengjun, 2018. "Sustainability certification and product substitutability: Evidence from the seafood market," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 92-100.
    9. Mónica Pérez-Ramírez & Marco A. Almendarez-Hernández & Gerzaín Avilés-Polanco & Luis F. Beltrán-Morales, 2015. "Consumer Acceptance of Eco-Labeled Fish: A Mexican Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-18, April.
    10. Takahashi, Ryo, 2021. "How to stimulate environmentally friendly consumption: Evidence from a nationwide social experiment in Japan to promote eco-friendly coffee," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    11. Marcello Risitano & Rosaria Romano & Vincenzo Rusciano & Gennaro Civero & Debora Scarpato, 2022. "The impact of sustainability on marketing strategy and business performance: The case of Italian fisheries," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1538-1551, May.
    12. Chen, Xianwen & Alfnes, Frode & Rickertsen, Kyrre, 2014. "Consumer Preferences, Ecolabels, and the Effects of Negative Environmental Information," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 168094, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. So, Hau Wing & Lafortezza, Raffaele, 2022. "Reviewing the impacts of eco-labelling of forest products on different dimensions of sustainability in Europe," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    14. Villas-Boas, Sofia B & Taylor, Rebecca & Krovetz, Hannah, 2016. "Willingness to Pay for Low Water Footprint Food Choices During Drought," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt9vh3x180, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    15. Villas-Boas, Sofia B & Copfer, Jackie & Campbell, Nica, 2021. "Preferences for Sustainability and Supply Chain Essential Worker Conditions: Survey Evidence during COVID-19," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt0nv2n39w, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    16. Morgan, Edward A. & Buckwell, Andrew & Guidi, Caterina & Garcia, Beatriz & Rimmer, Lawrence & Cadman, Tim & Mackey, Brendan, 2022. "Capturing multiple forest ecosystem services for just benefit sharing: The Basket of Benefits Approach," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    17. Cosimo, Luiz Henrique Elias & Masiero, Mauro & Mammadova, Aynur & Pettenella, Davide, 2024. "Voluntary sustainability standards to cope with the new European Union regulation on deforestation-free products: A gap analysis," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    18. S. Marette & L. Nabec & F. Durieux, 2019. "Improving Nutritional Quality of Consumers’ Food Purchases With Traffic-Lights Labels: An Experimental Analysis," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 377-395, September.
    19. Khan Md Raziuddin Taufique & Chamhuri Siwar & Basri Talib & Farah Hasan Sarah & Norshamliza Chamhuri, 2014. "Synthesis of Constructs for Modeling Consumers’ Understanding and Perception of Eco-Labels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-25, April.
    20. Zander, Katrin & Feucht, Yvonne, 2018. "Who is Prepared to Pay For Sustainable Fish? Evidence from a Transnational Consumer Survey in Europe," 2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 276859, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:202:y:2024:i:c:s1364032124004349. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.