Customer Response to Carbon Labelling of Groceries

• Published in: Journal of consumer policy 2011-03, Vol.34 (1), p.153-160
• Main Authors: Vanclay, Jerome K, Shortiss, John, Aulsebrook, Scott, Gillespie, Angus M, Howell, Ben C, Johanni, Rhoda, Maher, Michael J, Mitchell, Kelly M, Stewart, Mark D, Yates, Jim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bottled water; Butter; Carbon; Carbon emissions; Carbon footprint; Carbon label; Carbon labelling; Commercial Law; Consumer behavior; Consumer behaviour; Consumer environmental purchasing behaviour; Consumers; Consumption patterns; Convenience stores; Demography; Descriptive labeling; Ecological footprint; Economic Policy; Electronic records; Emissions; Emissions reduction; Empirical research; Environmental ethics; Environmental science; Food; Green consumers; Green marketing; Green products; Grocery business; Grocery stores; Marketing; Original Paper; Point of sale; Pollution; Price differentiation; Product lines; Purchasing; Sales; Social Sciences; Studies; Time series; Turnover
• ISSN: 0168-7034; 1573-0700
• DOI: 10.1007/s10603-010-9140-7

Thirty-seven products were labelled to indicate embodied carbon emissions, and sales were recorded over a 3-month period. Green (below average), yellow (near average), and black (above average) footprints indicated carbon emissions embodied in groceries. The overall change in purchasing pattern was small, with black-labelled sales decreasing 6% and green-labelled sales increasing 4% after labelling. However, when green-labelled products were also the cheapest, the shift was more substantial, with a 20% switch from black- to green-label sales. These findings illustrate the potential for labelling to stimulate reductions in carbon emissions.