Are consumers concerned about palm oil? Evidence from a lab experiment

Journal article: A lab experiment evaluates the consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for food products made with and without palm oil. Palm oil production induces environmental damages, and its consumption presents a health risk. However, the production of alternative oils raises land use issues. In the experiment, successive messages emphasizing the characteristics of palm oil and palm oil-free products are delivered to participants. Information has a significant influence on WTP when it underlines the negative impact of the related product. This effect is stronger for the palm oil product than for the palm oil-free product. The experiment also compares the welfare effects of two regulatory instruments, namely a consumer information campaign versus a per-unit tax. Because of the respective attributes of both palm oil and palm oil-free products, the information campaign improves welfare with a much larger impact than the tax.

Author(s)

Anne-Célia Disdier, Stephan Marette, Guy Millet

Journal
  • Food Policy
Date of publication
  • 2013
Keywords
  • Willingness to pay
  • Palm oil
  • Experimental economics
  • Consumer information campaign
  • Réaction des consommateurs
  • Controverse autour de l’huile de palme
  • Expérience en laboratoire
  • Huiles et usage des sols
  • Per-unit tax
Pages
  • 180-189
Version
  • 1
Volume
  • 43