Work

The Future Could be Greener: A Randomized Choice Experiment on Cognitive Alternatives and Sustainable Food Choices

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Carbon footprint information via labels has raised interest as a tool to encourage pro‐environmental behavior. We propose cognitive alternatives to the environmental status quo (Environmental cognitive alternatives; ECAs), the ability to imagine what a sustainable relationship with nature could look like, to improve the effectiveness of carbon labels. Using a discrete choice experiment with intervention and control groups, we investigate the effect of ECAs on low emission labeled, sustainable choices in a grocery shopping context. German participants (N = 150) were randomly assigned to three groups, activating either cognitive alternatives of a positive relationship with nature, or perceived environmental threat (PET), or nothing in a full control group. In the ECAs activation group, participants chose options with lower carbon emissions compared to the other two groups, and had stronger preferences on rating scales for these options. In the PET activation group, participants also had stronger preferences on rating scales than the control group, but this effect was not found for the choice of options. Activating ECAs might be a promising intervention for promoting sustainable choices, and carbon labeling could be helpful when paired with interventions that activate ECAs.

Source: Journal of Applied Social Psychology

DOI: 10.1111/jasp.13097

Authors: Theresa Lang, Roberto Ulloa, Florian Kutzner, Michaela Wänke, Celina Kacperski

Institutions: Technical University of Denmark, University of Konstanz, Seeburg Castle University, University of Mannheim

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Sustainability in Business

Subfield: Marketing

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,570