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Improving Nutritional Quality of Consumers’ Food Purchases With Traffic-Lights Labels: An Experimental Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • S. Marette

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • L. Nabec

    (Université Paris-Sud)

  • F. Durieux

    (Université Paris-Sud)

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was conducted in France to evaluate the role of colour-coded traffic lights (TLs) in signalling the nutritional quality of food. The experimental protocol focused on participants’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for breakfast cereals, and it precisely identified the impact of both TL appearance and additional explanations about these TLs. The results of this paper show a significant influence of both TL appearance and additional explanations on consumers’ WTP. Regarding the TL appearance, the red colour associated with a low nutritional quality of foods has a sustained impact compared to the impact of the green and yellow colours. In other words, the placement of TLs on all products mainly leads to a reduction in WTP for products with the red colour, although WTP for other products with the green or yellow colours also changes. Additional explanations about TLs and nutrition also matter because they significantly influence WTP. Based on the participants’ WTP, we estimate the welfare impact of mandatory TLs, suggesting that it would be socially optimal to introduce these mandatory TLs with additional explanations.

Suggested Citation

  • S. Marette & L. Nabec & F. Durieux, 2019. "Improving Nutritional Quality of Consumers’ Food Purchases With Traffic-Lights Labels: An Experimental Analysis," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 377-395, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jcopol:v:42:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s10603-019-09420-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10603-019-09420-5
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    3. Francisco Scott & Juan P. Sesmero, 2022. "Market and welfare effects of quality misperception in food labels," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(5), pages 1747-1769, October.
    4. Gustafson, Christopher R. & Meerza, Syed Imran Ali, 2023. "The Impact of Information on Valuation in Experimental Auctions: A Comparison of Between and Within Subject Designs," OSF Preprints 3g4m5, Center for Open Science.
    5. M. G. Ceravolo & V. Farina & L. Fattobene & L. Leonelli & G. Raggetti, 2021. "Gender-Related Variability in Information Processing of Disclosure Documents," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 217-233, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Experimental economics; Consumers’ behaviour; Nutrition; Traffic lights; Regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health

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