Conformity and the Demand for Environmental Goods |
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Authors: | Fredrik Carlsson Jorge H García Åsa Löfgren |
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Institution: | (1) Sociology Department, Colorado State University, Clark Building, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA |
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Abstract: | The existing literature on eco-labeling and green consumerism has been framed within a classical market context where price
and quality are the drivers of consumer choice. However, it seems possible that consumers are also concerned about the choices
made by other consumers. In fact, it is unclear that people’s consumption decisions are made independently of social context.
For instance, under the desire to conform to certain social norms—or in the presence of status concerns—some individuals may
be willing to pay a higher price premium for green products the more widespread green consumerism is in society. We test this
hypothesis using a choice experiment where the respondents were asked to choose among coffee products varying with respect
to their share of ecological beans, share of fair trade beans, and price. Three treatments were used, differing only in the
information given about the choices made by other consumers. We find different responses to the treatments across individuals
and we can only confirm our hypothesis of conformity for women, although men appear to have stronger preferences for ecological
coffee than women have. |
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