How do consumers in developed countries value the environment and workers' social rights in developing countries?

This paper uses a lab experiment to investigate developed countries' consumer valuations of characteristics linked to the environment and workers' social rights in developing countries. It focuses on seafood products and distinguishes between regular, environmentally friendly and fair trade varieties. Consumer valuations are elicited with a multiple price list. Results show that environmental and social labels have similar effects on participant willingness-to-pay when they are first presented. Using welfare variation coming from the labels, we also show that the absence of negative information linked to the regular variety may lead to an underestimation of the value of information associated with the label.

► We investigate developed countries' consumer valuations of seafood products. ► We distinguish between regular, environmentally friendly and fair trade varieties. ► Consumers are only receptive to the first presented product characteristic. ► Welfare computations should include regular and labeled varieties' information value. ► If they do not, the value of information associated with the label is underestimated.