Work

The Causal Effect of Income on Market Social Responsibility

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We investigate the relationship between consumers’ income and socially responsible consumption that mitigates negative externalities. We conduct laboratory and online market experiments in which firms and consumers can exchange products that differ in the degree to which they diminish negative external impacts at the expense of higher production costs. Our treatments exogenously vary consumers’ income. Across all three experiments, higher income causes an increase in the quantity of socially responsible products purchased and at least slightly increases the share of such products as part of total consumption. However, increases in total consumption resulting from higher income can increase negative externalities.

Source: Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)

DOI: 10.5167/uzh-283047

Authors: Bartling, Björn, Valero, Vanessa, Weber, Roberto A.

Language: English

Topic: Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: No poverty, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7126244271

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