Do front-of-pack ‘green labels’ increase sustainable food choice and willingness-to-pay in U.K. consumers?

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production 2022-10, Vol.371, p.133466, Article 133466
• Main Authors: Duckworth, Jay J., Randle, Mark, McGale, Lauren S., Jones, Andrew, Doherty, Bob, Halford, Jason C.G., Christiansen, Paul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Consumer choice; Food labelling; Front-of-pack labels; Sustainability; Willingness-to-pay
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133466

In a series of pre-registered online studies, we aimed to elucidate the magnitude of the effect of general sustainability labels on U.K. consumers’ food choices. Four labels were displayed: ‘Sustainably sourced’, ‘Locally sourced’, ‘Environmentally friendly’, and ‘Low greenhouse gas emissions’. To ensure reliable results, contingency valuation elicitation was used alongside a novel analytical approach to provide a triangulation of evidence: Multilevel-modelling compared each label vs. no-label; Poisson-modelling compared label vs. label. Socioeconomic status, environmental awareness, health motivations, and nationalism/patriotism were included in our predictive models. Exp.1 Multilevel-modelling (N = 140) showed labelled products were chosen 344% more than non-labelled and consumers were willing-to-pay ∼£0.11 more, although no difference between label types was found. Poisson-modelling (N = 735) showed consumers chose Sustainably sourced and Locally sourced labels ∼20% more often but were willing-to-pay ∼£0.03 more only for Locally sourced products. Exp.2 was a direct replication. Multilevel-modelling (N = 149) showed virtually identical results (labels chosen 344% more, willingness-to-pay ∼£0.10 more), as did Poisson-modelling (N = 931) with Sustainably sourced and Locally sourced chosen ∼20% more and willingness-to-pay ∼£0.04 more for Locally sourced products. Environmental concern (specifically the ‘propensity to act’) was the only consistent predictor of preference for labelled vs. non-labelled products. Findings suggest front-of-pack ‘green labels’ may yield substantive increases in consumer choice alongside relatively modest increases in willingness-to-pay for environmentally-sustainable foods. Specifically, references to ‘sustainable’ or ‘local’ sourcing may have the largest impact. •Contingency valuation elicitation was used to test four novel sustainability labels.•Multilevel and Poisson models offer novel analyses in assessing green label effects.•Labelled products were chosen >300% more often than non-labelled products.•Consumers were willing to pay ∼£0.10 more for labelled products.•The labels Sustainably sourced and Locally sourced were most influential.