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Values, food and bags: A study of consumption decisions in a laboratory supermarket

Author

Listed:
  • Astrid Matthey

    (Max-Planck-Insititute of Economics, Strategic Interaction Group)

  • Tim Kasser

    (Knox College, Department of Psychology)

Abstract

We study the relation between people's personal values and environmentally friendly consumption behavior. We first assessed subjects' personal values using the Aspiration Index. Then subjects participated in a laboratory supermarket offering organic and conventional food products and different kinds of bags. The results suggest that subjects' personal values are poor predictors of their ecologically-relevant consumption behavior. However, we find that subjects who spontaneously reflected upon power values made less ecologically sustainable consumption decisions than did those who reflected on universalism values. We discuss methodological differences as possible reasons for variations between our results and those of earlier studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Astrid Matthey & Tim Kasser, 2013. "Values, food and bags: A study of consumption decisions in a laboratory supermarket," Jena Economics Research Papers 2013-007, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    • Handle: RePEc:jrp:jrpwrp:2013-007
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    File URL: https://oweb.b67.uni-jena.de/Papers/jerp2013/wp_2013_007.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Thogersen, John & Olander, Folke, 2002. "Human values and the emergence of a sustainable consumption pattern: A panel study," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 605-630, October.
    6. Cason, Timothy N. & Gangadharan, Lata, 2002. "Environmental Labeling and Incomplete Consumer Information in Laboratory Markets," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 113-134, January.
    7. Rachel Griffith & Lars Nesheim, 2008. "Household willingness to pay for organic products," CeMMAP working papers CWP18/08, Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumer Behavior; Values; Conservation (Ecological Behavior);
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • Q31 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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