This article presents the results of a laboratory experiment and an online multi-country experiment testing the effect of motor vehicle eco-labels on consumers. The laboratory study featured a discrete choice task and questions on comprehension, while the ten countries online experiment included measures of willingness to pay and comprehension. Labels focusing on fuel economy or running costs are better understood, and influence choice about money-related eco-friendly behaviour. We suggest that this effect comes through mental accounting of fuel economy. In the absence of a cost saving frame, we do not find a similar effect of information on CO2 emissions and eco-friendliness. Labels do not perform as well as promotional materials. By virtue of being embedded into a setting designed to capture the attention, the latter are more effective. We found also that large and expensive cars tend to be undervalued once fuel economy is highlighted.

Labels as nudges? An experimental study of car eco-labels / C. Codagnone, G.A. Veltri, F. Bogliacino, F. Lupiáñez Villanueva, G. Gaskell, A. Ivchenko, P. Ortoleva, F. Mureddu. - In: ECONOMIA POLITICA. - ISSN 1120-2890. - 33:3(2016 Dec), pp. 403-432. [10.1007/s40888-016-0042-2]

Labels as nudges? An experimental study of car eco-labels

C. Codagnone
Primo
;
2016

Abstract

This article presents the results of a laboratory experiment and an online multi-country experiment testing the effect of motor vehicle eco-labels on consumers. The laboratory study featured a discrete choice task and questions on comprehension, while the ten countries online experiment included measures of willingness to pay and comprehension. Labels focusing on fuel economy or running costs are better understood, and influence choice about money-related eco-friendly behaviour. We suggest that this effect comes through mental accounting of fuel economy. In the absence of a cost saving frame, we do not find a similar effect of information on CO2 emissions and eco-friendliness. Labels do not perform as well as promotional materials. By virtue of being embedded into a setting designed to capture the attention, the latter are more effective. We found also that large and expensive cars tend to be undervalued once fuel economy is highlighted.
eco-label nudge willingness to pay fuel economy experiments co2 emission
Settore SPS/09 - Sociologia dei Processi economici e del Lavoro
Settore SECS-P/06 - Economia Applicata
dic-2016
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/459651
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