Econ Papers Daily / 期刊论文
消除误解：提升消费者对日期标签的理解以减少食物浪费
Overcoming Misconceptions: Enhancing Consumer Understanding of Date Labels to Reduce Food Waste
摘要
This study examines how date‐labeling formats and information disclosure shape Chinese online consumers' food‐waste behavior, using a vignette experiment with 1122 respondents analyzed across three products (fresh milk, chips, nuts). The longer a product has been past its labeled date, the less willing consumers are to consume it: relative to long‐expired items, just‐expired milk, chips, and nuts are 41%, 126%, and 93% more likely to be consumed, respectively. For milk, a direct date label lowers the odds of consumption by 27% relative to an indirect label (odds ratio = 0.73, p p = 0.007) to a nonsignificant 0.023 ( p = 0.778)). Therefore, we recommend adding explanatory text on packaging and continuously carrying out consumer education and awareness campaigns to help consumers distinguish between “end of guaranteed quality” and “food safety boundary.” In addition, these efforts should be complemented by technologies that extend the shelf life of perishable products.
中文摘要
本研究考察了日期标签格式与信息披露如何影响中国线上消费者的食物浪费行为，采用情境实验法，对1122名受访者进行了分析，涵盖三种产品（鲜牛奶、薯片、坚果）。产品超过标注日期的時間越长，消费者食用意愿越低：相对于过期较久的食品，刚过期的牛奶、薯片和坚果被食用的可能性分别高出41%、126%和93%。对于牛奶而言，与间接日期标签相比，直接日期标签使食用几率降低27%（比值比=0.73，p p=0.007）至不显著的0.023（p=0.778）。因此，我们建议在包装上增加说明性文字，并持续开展消费者教育与意识宣传活动，帮助消费者区分“保证质量截止期”与“食品安全边界”。此外，这些努力还应辅以延长易腐产品保质期的技术。