Browsing by Author "Valente, Marieta"
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- Does a market with green goods voluntarily internalize externalities? Evidence from a lab experimentPublication . Fernandes, Maria Eduarda; Valente, MarietaIn a green goods market a combination of individual and corporate social responsibility may lead to the internalization of externalities. This economics experiment implements a market for green credence goods in the presence of externalities on other buyers and explores whether a combination of individual and corporate social responsibility may lead to the internalization of externalities. Under information asymmetry, we observe widespread false claims and an apparently pro-environmental market, when in reality green goods are sparingly sold. When a credible label is possible or when the information asymmetry is removed, the provision of actual green goods increases, but is roughly 20% to 25% of the market share. While this share is non-negligible, the niche market that ensues does not ensure that less environmentally damaging consumption options will be widespread, nor that social welfare will be maximized once the information asymmetry is removed.
- O mercado dos produtos "verdes" e a importância da ecoetiqueta : um estudo experimentalPublication . Fernandes, Maria Eduarda; Valente, Marieta
- What you get is not what you paid for: New evidence from a lab experiment on negative externalities and information asymmetriesPublication . Fernandes, Maria Eduarda; Valente, MarietaIn markets where ethical goods are available, consumers and producers can voluntarily address the negative externality market failure. However, in reality, these goods are often credence goods and the claims are not verifiable by consumers. We design an experiment to explore whether there can be voluntary internalization of negative externalities in markets controlling for different types of information asymmetry, namely credence claims with the potential for false advertisements, the possibility of certifying claims and finally mandatory truthful claims. We observe that there is a limited scope for ethical goods to be traded and negative externalities reduced in all informational setups. However, when false claims can be made, markets will appear very prosocial to the outside observer who will see widespread concerns for externalities and a price premium on allegedly ethical goods relative to conventional ones. In fact, conventional goods are just being falsely advertised as ethical. In addition, the price premium is seldom enough to cover the additional cost of producing a good that minimizes externalities. Even when credence claims are not allowed, the market will only partially internalize negative externalities, leaving thus room for some form of regulatory intervention.
- When is green too rosy? Evidence from a laboratory market experiment on green goods and externalitiesPublication . Fernandes, Maria Eduarda; Valente, MarietaIn a context where sustainable consumption and production need to be encouraged, economic experiments can provide significant insights into how individuals consider environmental externalities in their choices and how public policy can foster the environmental public good. Experimental studies aiming to evaluate market mitigation of externalities through the provision of green goods usually choose to adopt neutral language in terms of framing. Our study implements an incentivized economics experiment to explore how supply and demand consider negative externalities. Furthermore, the study addresses the impact of using non-abstract wording when describing negative externalities. Two types of goods can be produced and bought, namely goods generating negative externalities on other consumers (either labelled as B or brown) and goods that cause no harm to others (either labelled A or green). We conclude that the provision of green goods increases from 18.1% in the abstract frame to 70% in the environmental frame. Framing is, therefore, a relevant variable for the outcome of this experimental market. This has important implications for economic experiments aiming to evaluate pro-environmental behaviours and provide policy orientations for the provision of green goods.