Study Title
The Impact of Environmental Sustainability Labels on Willingness-to-Pay for Foods: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Discrete Choice Experiments
Principal Investigator
Anastasios Bastounis, John Buckell, Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Brian Cook, Sarah King, Christina Potter, Filippo Bianchi, Mike Rayner, Susan A. Jebb
Affiliation
University of Oxford, UK; University of Nottingham, UK
Start Date
Not specified
End Date
Not specified
Study Objective
To systematically review and meta-analyze the effect of environmental sustainability labels (ecolabels) on consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) more for foods, and explore how demographic variables (e.g., gender, age, education) and product type (e.g., meat, dairy, seafood) influence this willingness.
Short Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 discrete choice experiments (DCEs) involving 41,777 participants examines the impact of ecolabels on consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for foods. The study found that consumers are willing to pay a premium of 3.79 PPP$/kg for ecolabelled foods. Women and individuals with lower education were found to exhibit higher WTP, and organic labels were more valued than other environmental sustainability labels. This research highlights the role of ecolabels in encouraging sustainable food consumption.
Study Design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of discrete choice experiments (DCEs)
Population
Consumers worldwide
Sample Size
41,777 participants across 43 studies
Inclusion Criteria
Studies using discrete choice experiments (DCEs) to evaluate consumers' WTP for foods with ecolabels compared to unlabeled or differently labeled products.
Exclusion Criteria
Studies not using DCEs or not focusing on ecolabels related to environmental sustainability.
Intervention/Exposure
Environmental sustainability labels (ecolabels) on food products
Outcome Measures
Consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for foods with ecolabels, measured in purchasing power parity dollars per kilogram (PPP$/kg)
Funding Source
Wellcome Trust, Our Planet Our Health programme (Livestock, Environment and People—LEAP)
Collaborating Institutions
University of Oxford, University of Nottingham
Ethics Approval
Not applicable (systematic review and meta-analysis)
Publication Status
Published in Nutrients, July 2021
Keywords
Willingness to pay, sustainability, organic, meta-analysis, ecolabels
Data Collection Methods
Systematic search of six electronic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Social Science Citation Index, CAB Abstracts, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews)
Primary Data Availability
Not applicable
Contact Information
Brian Cook (