Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.

Providing consumers with product-specific environmental impact information for food products (ecolabels) may promote more sustainable purchasing, needed to meet global environmental targets. Two UK studies investigated the effectiveness of different ecolabels using an experimental online supermarket...

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Main Authors: Christina Potter, Rachel Pechey, Michael Clark, Kerstin Frie, Paul A Bateman, Brian Cook, Cristina Stewart, Carmen Piernas, John Lynch, Mike Rayner, Joseph Poore, Susan A Jebb
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0272800&type=printable
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author Christina Potter
Rachel Pechey
Michael Clark
Kerstin Frie
Paul A Bateman
Brian Cook
Cristina Stewart
Carmen Piernas
John Lynch
Mike Rayner
Joseph Poore
Susan A Jebb
author_facet Christina Potter
Rachel Pechey
Michael Clark
Kerstin Frie
Paul A Bateman
Brian Cook
Cristina Stewart
Carmen Piernas
John Lynch
Mike Rayner
Joseph Poore
Susan A Jebb
author_sort Christina Potter
collection DOAJ
description Providing consumers with product-specific environmental impact information for food products (ecolabels) may promote more sustainable purchasing, needed to meet global environmental targets. Two UK studies investigated the effectiveness of different ecolabels using an experimental online supermarket platform. Study 1 (N = 1051 participants) compared three labels against control (no label), while Study 2 (N = 4979) tested four designs against control. Study 1 found significant reductions in the environmental impact score (EIS) for all labels compared to control (labels presented: values for four environmental indicators [-3.9 percentiles, 95%CIs: -5.2,-2.6]; a composite score [taking values from A to E; -3.9, 95%CIs: -5.2,-2.5]; or both together [-3.2, 95%CIs: -4.5,-1.9]). Study 2 showed significant reductions in EIS compared to control for A-E labels [-2.3, 95%CIs: -3.0,-1.5], coloured globes with A-E scores [-3.2, 95%CIs:-3.9,-2.4], and red globes highlighting 'worse' products [-3.2, 95%CIs:-3.9,-2.5]. There was no evidence that green globes highlighting 'better' products were effective [-0.5, 95%CIs:-1.3,0.2]. Providing ecolabels is a promising intervention to promote the selection of more sustainable products.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2022-01-01
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record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-a5cc6ba3a71b489d81a1c5c6be9126ea2025-08-20T03:25:19ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-011711e027280010.1371/journal.pone.0272800Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.Christina PotterRachel PecheyMichael ClarkKerstin FriePaul A BatemanBrian CookCristina StewartCarmen PiernasJohn LynchMike RaynerJoseph PooreSusan A JebbProviding consumers with product-specific environmental impact information for food products (ecolabels) may promote more sustainable purchasing, needed to meet global environmental targets. Two UK studies investigated the effectiveness of different ecolabels using an experimental online supermarket platform. Study 1 (N = 1051 participants) compared three labels against control (no label), while Study 2 (N = 4979) tested four designs against control. Study 1 found significant reductions in the environmental impact score (EIS) for all labels compared to control (labels presented: values for four environmental indicators [-3.9 percentiles, 95%CIs: -5.2,-2.6]; a composite score [taking values from A to E; -3.9, 95%CIs: -5.2,-2.5]; or both together [-3.2, 95%CIs: -4.5,-1.9]). Study 2 showed significant reductions in EIS compared to control for A-E labels [-2.3, 95%CIs: -3.0,-1.5], coloured globes with A-E scores [-3.2, 95%CIs:-3.9,-2.4], and red globes highlighting 'worse' products [-3.2, 95%CIs:-3.9,-2.5]. There was no evidence that green globes highlighting 'better' products were effective [-0.5, 95%CIs:-1.3,0.2]. Providing ecolabels is a promising intervention to promote the selection of more sustainable products.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0272800&type=printable
spellingShingle Christina Potter
Rachel Pechey
Michael Clark
Kerstin Frie
Paul A Bateman
Brian Cook
Cristina Stewart
Carmen Piernas
John Lynch
Mike Rayner
Joseph Poore
Susan A Jebb
Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.
PLoS ONE
title Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.
title_full Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.
title_fullStr Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.
title_full_unstemmed Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.
title_short Effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases: Two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket.
title_sort effects of environmental impact labels on the sustainability of food purchases two randomised controlled trials in an experimental online supermarket
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0272800&type=printable
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