Choosing among 320,000 food products currently
available in supermarkets is not an easy task. Words
and symbols printed on packaging keep growing and
compete for consumers attention to otherwise
tasteless dimensions environmental concerns, ethical
and social considerations, nutritional content, and
health effects. Three essays analyze consumer
response to several aspects of food labeling in the
U.S. The first essay focuses on the National Organic
Program and estimates consumer valuation of the
change labeling regulations. The second essay links
media coverage of organic food production to food
purchases. Nutritional shelf labels implemented in a
market-level experiment allow testing if information
costs prevent consumers from making healthier food
choices in the third essay.
Utilizing unique data sources allows analyzing
actual purchase behavior rather than survey
responses or hypothetical choice experiments. The
reduced form and structural estimations, as well as
the experimental design directly address
interdependencies between regulation, advertisement,
and media coverage.
available in supermarkets is not an easy task. Words
and symbols printed on packaging keep growing and
compete for consumers attention to otherwise
tasteless dimensions environmental concerns, ethical
and social considerations, nutritional content, and
health effects. Three essays analyze consumer
response to several aspects of food labeling in the
U.S. The first essay focuses on the National Organic
Program and estimates consumer valuation of the
change labeling regulations. The second essay links
media coverage of organic food production to food
purchases. Nutritional shelf labels implemented in a
market-level experiment allow testing if information
costs prevent consumers from making healthier food
choices in the third essay.
Utilizing unique data sources allows analyzing
actual purchase behavior rather than survey
responses or hypothetical choice experiments. The
reduced form and structural estimations, as well as
the experimental design directly address
interdependencies between regulation, advertisement,
and media coverage.