Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/50635 
Year of Publication: 
2009
Series/Report no.: 
School of Economics Discussion Papers No. 09,15
Publisher: 
University of Kent, School of Economics, Canterbury
Abstract: 
In this paper we investigate how consumers respond to the UK food label Traffic Light System (TLS). Employing a Choice Experiment (CE) we find that consumers appear to behave in a manner consistent with our expectations regarding the impact of the TLS nutrition label. In particular, we identify a strong preference on the part of respondents to avoid a basket of goods containing a mix of foods with any 'Red' lights. We have also found that consumers have a hierarchy of importance in terms of perception of the various nutrients examined and clear behavioural differences associated with particular socio-economic characteristics confirming early research on the use of nutrition labels. Overall our results indicate significant heterogeneity in the attitudes and responses of consumers to food labels within and across socioeconomic strata in terms of the magnitude of WTP.
Subjects: 
nutrients
traffic light system
choice experiment
Bayesian mixed logit
JEL: 
I18
C35
Q18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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