{"title":"Nudging the Food Basket Green: The Effects of Commitment and Badges on the Carbon Footprint of Food Shopping","authors":"Luca A. Panzone, Natasha Auch, Daniel John Zizzo","doi":"10.1007/s10640-023-00814-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract We use an incentive-compatible experimental online supermarket to test the role of commitment and badges in reducing the carbon footprint of grocery shopping. In the experiment, some participants had the opportunity to voluntarily commit to a low carbon footprint basket before their online grocery shopping; the commitment was forced upon other participants. We also study the impact of an online badge as a soft reward for the achievement of a low carbon footprint basket. Participants from the general population shopped over two weeks, with the experimental stimuli only in week 2; and received their shopping baskets and any unspent budget. Results indicate that requesting a commitment prior to entering the store leads to a reduction in carbon footprint of 9–12%. When the commitment is voluntary, reductions are driven by consumers who accept the commitment. Commitments also reduced the consumption of fats and, for forced commitments, that of salt by 18%. Badges did not significantly impact consumer behaviour. Commitment mechanisms, either forced or voluntary, appear effective in motivating an environmental goal and search for low-carbon options, particularly in those accepting the commitment.","PeriodicalId":48299,"journal":{"name":"Environmental & Resource Economics","volume":"11 4","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2023-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environmental & Resource Economics","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-023-00814-1","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
Abstract We use an incentive-compatible experimental online supermarket to test the role of commitment and badges in reducing the carbon footprint of grocery shopping. In the experiment, some participants had the opportunity to voluntarily commit to a low carbon footprint basket before their online grocery shopping; the commitment was forced upon other participants. We also study the impact of an online badge as a soft reward for the achievement of a low carbon footprint basket. Participants from the general population shopped over two weeks, with the experimental stimuli only in week 2; and received their shopping baskets and any unspent budget. Results indicate that requesting a commitment prior to entering the store leads to a reduction in carbon footprint of 9–12%. When the commitment is voluntary, reductions are driven by consumers who accept the commitment. Commitments also reduced the consumption of fats and, for forced commitments, that of salt by 18%. Badges did not significantly impact consumer behaviour. Commitment mechanisms, either forced or voluntary, appear effective in motivating an environmental goal and search for low-carbon options, particularly in those accepting the commitment.
期刊介绍：
The primary concern of Environmental & Resource Economics (ERE) is the application of economic theory and methods to environmental issues and problems that require detailed analysis in order to improve management strategies. The contemporary environmental debate is in a constant state of flux and new or relatively unexplored topics are continually emerging. The Journal provides a forum for the further exploration of the causes, consequences and policy responses linked to these topics, across a range of spatial and temporal scales up to the global dimension. Contributions to the Journal should directly or indirectly be relevant to the policy formulation and application process. Areas of particular interest include: evaluation and development of instruments of environmental policy; cost-benefit and cost effectiveness analysis; sectoral environmental policy impact analysis; modelling and simulation; institutional arrangements; resource pricing and the valuation of environmental goods; environmental quality indicators. The editors wish to encourage a pluralistic approach to both theoretical and applied contributions. The publication of empirically based, policy-oriented research is given a high priority in the Journal in order to further critical discussion. Environmental & Resource Economics will also accept papers with an interdisciplinary approach, where this helps to improve knowledge of the real world complexities present, provided that the analysis retains links to or components of economic thinking. The Journal is required reading for economists, economic geographers and other academics, professionals and officials with a working interest in environmental matters.
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