TY - JOUR
T1 - Multi-Product Category Choices Labeled for Ecological Footprints
T2 - Exploring Psychographics and Evolved Psychological Biases for Characterizing Latent Consumer Classes
AU - Steiner, B. E.
AU - Peschel, A. O.
AU - Grebitus, Carola
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2017/10
Y1 - 2017/10
N2 - This paper explores psychographics and evolved psychological biases to characterize consumer segments regarding pro-environmental choices. Based on survey-evidence from Germany, we analyze consumer preferences for two product categories, a food-staple and a non-food staple, labeled for carbon and water footprints. Latent class analysis is employed to identify and characterize distinct consumer segments as a function of consumers' ‘ecological worldview’, consumer involvement, motivation to attend to product label information, personal values, as well as consumers' environmental group membership and donation behavior. Results suggest that latent segments of ecologically-oriented consumers can be differentiated from price-sensitive segments, with the former appearing less prone to certain evolved psychological biases compared to the latter segments. In contrast to previous work on self-reported ecologically conscious behavior, our results highlight the role of personal values, in particular that of personal health. This is found to be valued less by ecologically-oriented consumers, indicating that such individuals may have a strong communal focus in their value orientation. In terms of policy implications, our findings suggest that sustainability labels can provide valuable and interpretable information to consumers, yet more effective intervention efforts may require a stronger focus on targeted information provision with regard to carbon rather than water footprints.
AB - This paper explores psychographics and evolved psychological biases to characterize consumer segments regarding pro-environmental choices. Based on survey-evidence from Germany, we analyze consumer preferences for two product categories, a food-staple and a non-food staple, labeled for carbon and water footprints. Latent class analysis is employed to identify and characterize distinct consumer segments as a function of consumers' ‘ecological worldview’, consumer involvement, motivation to attend to product label information, personal values, as well as consumers' environmental group membership and donation behavior. Results suggest that latent segments of ecologically-oriented consumers can be differentiated from price-sensitive segments, with the former appearing less prone to certain evolved psychological biases compared to the latter segments. In contrast to previous work on self-reported ecologically conscious behavior, our results highlight the role of personal values, in particular that of personal health. This is found to be valued less by ecologically-oriented consumers, indicating that such individuals may have a strong communal focus in their value orientation. In terms of policy implications, our findings suggest that sustainability labels can provide valuable and interpretable information to consumers, yet more effective intervention efforts may require a stronger focus on targeted information provision with regard to carbon rather than water footprints.
KW - Adaptive psychological biases
KW - Carbon footprint
KW - Environmental sustainability
KW - Germany
KW - Latent class analysis
KW - Personal values
KW - Water footprint
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.05.009
DO - 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.05.009
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85019346638
SN - 0921-8009
VL - 140
SP - 251
EP - 264
JO - Ecological Economics
JF - Ecological Economics
ER -