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Conditions of Development of a Product Ecolabel

Author

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  • Alain Nadaï

    (CIRED - centre international de recherche sur l'environnement et le développement - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AgroParisTech - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

Since the early 1990s, national ecolabelling programmes have proliferated worldwide. The European Union (EU) implemented such a regional program in 1991. This decision was part of a broader orientation towards Integrated Product Policy approach in the EU. Since 1991, the development of European ecolabels has been slow and difficult. This paper examines industrial strategies vis-à-vis the EU ecolabel in order to understand the problems faced by the regulator in the development of this ecolabel.The first part of the paper defines and uses the concept of credence good in order to argue that the consumer cannot assess the ecolabel. Based on the examination of the development of the European ecolabel, the second part points out three variables that seem to influence the development of product eco-labels : i) the type of industry (i.e. the degree of heterogeneity between the sets of products sold by the different firms); ii) the threat of direct governmental regulation on the environmental quality of the product; and, iii) the magnitude of the final demand for a green variant of the product. The paper concludes with a discussion of on policy implications for policy makers interested in considering or promoting the use of ecolabels.

Suggested Citation

  • Alain Nadaï, 1999. "Conditions of Development of a Product Ecolabel," Post-Print halshs-00159961, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00159961
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00159961
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Kern, Kristine & Kissling-Näf, Ingrid & Landmann, Ute & Mauch, Corine & Löffelsend, Tina, 2001. "Policy convergence and policy diffusion by governmental and non-governmental institutions: An international comparison of eco-labeling systems," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Standard-setting and Environment FS II 01-305, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    2. Monteiro, Jose-Antonio, 2010. "Eco-label Adoption in an Interdependent World," MPRA Paper 20268, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Kern, Kristine & Kissling-Näf, Ingrid, 2002. "Politikkonvergenz und Politikdiffusion durch Regierungs- und Nichtregierungsorganisationen: Ein internationaler Vergleich von Umweltzeichen," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Standard-setting and Environment FS II 02-302, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    4. Nissinen, A. & Parikka-Alhola, K. & Rita, H., 2009. "Environmental criteria in the public purchases above the EU threshold values by three Nordic countries: 2003 and 2005," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1838-1849, April.
    5. Rodrigo Lozano, 2020. "Analysing the use of tools, initiatives, and approaches to promote sustainability in corporations," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 982-998, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    quality; eco-labeling; voluntary environmental regulation.; voluntary environmental regulation;
    All these keywords.

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