Azucena Gracia

On the Use of Honesty Priming Tasks to Mitigate Hypothetical Bias in Choice Experiments

We test whether the use of an honesty priming task can help mitigate hypothetical bias in stated preference choice experiments (CE). Using a between-sample design, we conducted hypothetical and non-hypothetical choice experiments with seven treatments. Our results suggest that marginal willingness to pay estimates from hypothetical CE with an honesty priming task are not significantly different from marginal valuations from non-hypothetical CE. Values from both of these treatments are lower than those from three other hypothetical treatments, while values from the three non-hypothetical treatments are not significantly different from each other. Copyright 2013, Oxford University Press.

Using latent classes to determine consumer heterogeneity in nutritional label valuation

Abstract The provision of nutrition and health information on food labels is increasing as an industry and regulation answer to the growing consumer concern with diet–health relationships. Prior research has shown that the presence of this information on food labels is valued by consumers; however, there is still no clear pattern on which labelling options are more valued and how different consumers value the different options. This paper analyses the results of a choice experiment conducted to identify the effect of multiple health and nutrition information sources on consumer food choice, taking into account preference heterogeneity using a latent class approach. Results show that different consumer groups can be identified with clearly distinguishable valuation and behavioural patterns. A minority of consumers attaches high willingness to pay (WTP) to the provision of additional information in the nutrition facts panel, however, this is not shown for a vast majority who value claims. Moreover, not taking into account this preference heterogeneity can lead to policies that do not maximise consumer welfare. Based on the characteristics of consumers identified in each group, recommendations are made as to how both industry and public administration can move forward with the development of nutritional labelling guidelines or policies.