Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c47g7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T16:27:42.663Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Economics of Labeling: An Overview of Issues for Health and Environmental Disclosure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2016

Mario F. Teisl
Affiliation:
Department of Resource Economics and Policy, University of Maine, Orono
Brian Roe
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University, Columbus
Get access

Abstract

During the last two decades, product labeling has become an increasingly used policy tool, particularly with respect to the provision of health and environmental information. Theory holds that the flow of information among market participants plays a critical role in the efficient operation of markets. This paper explores the role of product labeling policy in ameliorating two potential market deficiencies: asymmetric information and costly search behavior. Practical considerations for the design and implementation of labeling policy and of labeling research are explored.

Type
Invited Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Achterberg, C. 1990. Information presented at the Workshop on Consumer Understanding and Use of Food Labels, Committee on the Nutrition Components of Food Labeling, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, Washington, D. C. March 13.Google Scholar
Akerloff, G. A. 1970. “The Market for ‘Lemons’: Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 84: 488500.Google Scholar
Andreoni, J. 1990. “Impure Altruism and Donations to Public Goods: A Theory of Warm Glow Giving.” Economic Journal 100: 464–77.Google Scholar
Andreoni, J. 1995. “Warm-Glow Versus Cold-Prickle: The Effects of Positive and Negative Framing on Cooperation in Experiments.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 110(1): 121.Google Scholar
Bailey, W., and Eastlick, M.A. 1993. “Study Shows Many Claiming to Be Green Don't Buy Green.” Northwest Arkansas Times, November 12.Google Scholar
Bockstael, N. E. 1984. “The Welfare Implications of Minimum Quality Standards.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 66: 466–71.Google Scholar
Bonneville Power Administration. 1985. Report on Market Research and Program Recommendations: Bonneville Power Administration Regionwide Promotion of Energy-Efficient Appliances. Portland, Ore.: B. G. William Lesh Inc.Google Scholar
Brown, D. J., and Schrader, L. 1990. “Information on Cholesterol and Falling Shell Egg Consumption.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 72: 548–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Calfee, J. E., and Ringold, D. J. 1988. “Consumer Skepticism and Advertising Regulation: What Do the Polls Show?” In Advances in Consumer Research: ed. Houston, M.J., 15: 244–48. Provo: Association for Consumer Research, Brigham Young University. Google Scholar
Capps, O. Jr., and Schmitz, J. D. 1991. “A Recognition of Health and Nutrition Factors in Food Demand Analysis.” Western Journal of Agricultural Economics 16: 2135.Google Scholar
Caswell, J. A. and Mojduszka, E. M. 1996. “Using Informational Labeling to Influence the Market for Quality in Food Products.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 78(5): 1248–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chaffee, S. H., and McLeod, J. M. 1973. “Consumer Decisions and Information Use.” In Consumer Behavior: Theoretical Sources,” ed. Ward, S. and Robertson, T. S. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Chang, H. S., and Kinnucan, H. 1991. “Advertising, Information and Product Quality: The Case of Butter.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 73: 11951203.Google Scholar
Chase, D., and Smith, T. K. 1992. “Consumers Keen on Green But Marketers Don't Deliver.” Advertising Age, June 29.Google Scholar
Conlisk, J. 1996. “Why Bounded Rationality?Journal of Economic Literature 34: 669700.Google Scholar
Coupey, E. 1994. “Restructuring: Constructive Processing of Information Displays in Consumer Choice.” Journal of Consumer Research 21(1): 8399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darby, M.R., and Karni, E. 1973. “Free Competition and the Optimal Amount of Fraud.” Journal of Law and Economics 16: 6788.Google Scholar
Diamond, P. 1971. “A Model of Price Adjustment.” Journal of Economic Theory 3: 156–68.Google Scholar
Estelami, H. 1997. “Consumer Perceptions of Multi-Dimensional Prices.” In Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 24, ed. Brucks, M. and MacInnis, D. Provo: Association for Consumer Research, Brigham Young University.Google Scholar
Farrel, J., and Saloner, G. 1985. “Standardization, Compatibility, and Innovation.” Rand Journal of Economics 16: 7083.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foster, W., and Just, R.E. 1989. “Measuring Welfare Effects of Product Contamination with Consumer Uncertainty.” Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 17: 266–83.Google Scholar
Frazao, E., and Allshouse, J.E. 1996. Size and Growth of the Nutritionally Improved Foods Market. Agriculture Information Bulletin no. 723. Washington, D.C.: Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.Google Scholar
French, W.A., and Barksdale, H.C. 1974. “Food Labeling Regulations: Efforts toward Full Disclosure.” Journal of Marketing 38: 1419.Google Scholar
Gehrig, T., and Jost, P.J. 1995. “Quacks, Lemons, and Self Regulation: A Welfare Analysis.” Journal of Regulatory Economics 7: 309–25.Google Scholar
Grossman, S., and Stiglitz, J.E. 1980. “On the Impossibility of Informationally Efficient Markets.” American Economic Review. 70(3): 393408.Google Scholar
Gutfield, R. 1991. “Shades of Green: Eight of 10 Americans are Environmentalists, or at Least Say So.” Wall Street Journal, August 2.Google Scholar
Hartwell, R.V., and Bergkamp, L. 1992. “Eco-Labeling in Europe: New Market-Related Environmental Risks?BNA International Environmental Daily. October 20.Google Scholar
Hashizume, S. 1992. Environmental Labeling in Japan: The Eco-Mark. Tokyo: Japan Environment Association.Google Scholar
Heimbach, J.T. 1982. Public Understanding of Food Label Information. Washington, D.C.: Food and Drug Administration.Google Scholar
Ippolito, P.M., and Mathios, A.D. 1990. “Information, Advertising and Health Choices: A Study of the Cereal Market.” Rand Journal of Economics 21: 459–80.Google Scholar
Ippolito, P.M., and Mathios, A.D. 1996. “Information and Advertising Policy.” A Study of Fat and Cholesterol Consumption in the United States, 1977–1990. Bureau of Economics staff report, Federal Trade Commission. September.Google Scholar
Jacoby, J., Chestnut, R.W., and Silberman, W. 1977. “Consumer Use and Comprehension of Nutrition Information.” Journal of Consumer Research 4: 199228.Google Scholar
Johansson, O. 1997. “Optimal Pigovian Taxes under Altruism.” Land Economics 73(3): 297308.Google Scholar
Kleinmuntz, D.N., and Schkade, D.A. 1993. “Information Displays and Decision Processes.” Psychological Science 44: 221–27.Google Scholar
Kuhre, W.L. 1997. ISO 14020s Environmental Labelling-Marketing. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall PTR.Google Scholar
Levy, A.S., and Stokes, R. 1987. “Effects of a Health Promotion Campaign on Sales of Ready-to-Eat Cereals.” Public Health Reports 102(4): 398–103.Google Scholar
Levy, A.S., Fein, S.B., and Schucker, R.E. 1996. “Performance Characteristics of Seven Nutrition Label Formats.” Journal of Public Policy and Marketing 15(1): 115.Google Scholar
Levy, A.S., Matthews, O., Stephenson, M., Tenney, J.E., and Schucker, R.E. 1985. “The Impact of a Nutrition Information Program on Food Purchases.” Journal of Public Policy and Marketing 4(1): 113.Google Scholar
Magat, W., Viscusi, W.K., and Huber, J. 1988. “Consumer Processing of Hazard Warning Information.” Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 1(2): 201–32.Google Scholar
Nelson, P. 1970. “Information and Consumer Behavior.” Journal of Political Economy 78: 311–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nelson, P. 1974. “Advertising as Information.” Journal of Political Economy 81: 729–54.Google Scholar
Putler, D.S. 1987. The Effect of Health Information on Shell Egg Consumption. Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics Working Paper 448. California Agricultural Experiment Station.Google Scholar
Russo, E. 1977. “The Value of Unit Price Information.” Journal of Marketing Research, May: 198201.Google Scholar
Schkade, D.A., and Kleinmuntz, D.N. 1994. “Information Display and Choice Processes: Differential Effects of Organization, Form, and Sequence.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 57: 319–37.Google Scholar
Schucker, R.E., Stokes, R.C., Stewart, M.L., and Henderson, D.P. 1983. “The Impact of the Saccharin Warning Label on Sales of Diet Soft Drinks in Supermarkets.” Journal of Public Policy and Marketing 2: 4656.Google Scholar
Scitovsky, T. 1986. Human Desire and Economic Satisfaction. New York: New York University Press.Google Scholar
Simon, H.A. 1955. “A Behavior Model of Rational Choice.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 691: 99118.Google Scholar
Smith, M.E., van Ravenswaay, E.O., and Thompson, S.R. 1988. “Sales Loss Determination in Food Contamination Incidents: An Application to Milk Bans in Hawaii.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 70: 513–20.Google Scholar
Stiglitz, J.E. 1996. Whither Socialism? Cambridge: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Strahilevitz, M., and Myers, J.G. 1998. “Donations to Charity as Purchase Incentives: How Well They Work May Depend on What You Are Trying to Sell.” Journal of Consumer Research 244: 434–46.Google Scholar
Swartz, D.G., and Strand, I.E. 1981. “Avoidance Costs Associated with Imperfect Information: The Case of Kepone.” Land Economics 57(2): 139–50.Google Scholar
Teisl, M.F., and Levy, A.S. 1997. “Does Nutrition Labeling Lead to Healthier Eating?Journal of Food Distribution Research 28(3): 1827.Google Scholar
Teisl, M.F., Halverson, L., and Holt, E. 1997. Information Disclosure and Electricity Marketing: Results from Focus Group Research—West Coast. Report to the Regulatory Assistance Project and the Department of Energy. Gardiner, Me.Google Scholar
Teisl, M.F., Roe, B., and Hicks, R.L. n.d. “Can Eco-Labels Tune a Market?: Evidence from Dolphin-Safe Labeling.”Google Scholar
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 1989. Environmental Labeling in the United States: Background Research, Issues and Recommendations. Applied Decision Analysis. Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 1993. Status Report on the Use of Environmental Labels Worldwide. Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
van Ravenswaay, E.O., and Hoehn, J.P. 1991. “The Impact of Health Risk and Food Demand: A Case Study of Alar and Apples.” In Economics of Food Safety, ed. Caswell, Julie. New York: Elsevier Science Publishing.Google Scholar
Winneg, K., Herrmann, M.J., Levy, A.S., and Roe, B. 1998. Label Testing: Results of Mall Intercept Survey. Report to the National Council on Competition and the Electric Industry. Regulatory Assistance Project. Gardiner, Me.Google Scholar
Wright, P. 1986. “Schemer Schema: Consumers' Intuitive Theories about Marketers' Influence Tactics.” In Advances in Consumer Research, ed. Lutes, Richard J., 13: 13. Provo: Association for Consumer Research, Brigham Young University. Google Scholar
Yamaki, S. 1992. Critical Analysis of the Vermont Household Hazardous Product Shelf-Labeling Program on Consumer Awareness: A Survey Evaluation.Google Scholar
Zarkin, G.A., Dean, N., Mauskopf, J.A., and Neighbors, D.M. 1991. Estimated Health Benefits of Nutrition Label Changes: Final Report—Volume I. RTI no. 233U-3972-05. Durham, N.C.: Center for Economics Research, Research Triangle Institute.Google Scholar
Zuo, J., and Chern, W.S. 1996. “Health Information and Consumer Participation: The Case of Fresh Milk Consumption in the U.S.” Presented at the annual meeting of the American Agricultural Economics Association. San Antonio, Tex.Google Scholar