 Norm-based feedback on household waste: Large-scale field experiments in two Swedish municipalitiesClaes Ek and Magnus Söderberg Journal of Public Economics, 2024, vol. 238, issue C Abstract: We conduct two large-scale randomized controlled trials to produce the first evidence that Home Energy Report-type norm feedback letters can be used to reduce household waste. We explore several feedback variants, including a novel short-run dynamic norm that emphasizes ongoing changes in waste behavior. Waste reductions are on the order of 7%–12% for all treatments, substantially larger than usually found in the energy or water domains. Effects are mostly driven by increased recycling of packaging and remain largely intact a year after the intervention ended. Feedback is highly cost-effective compared to alternative non-price waste policies. However, net social benefits depend on household preferences for receiving feedback, which we elicit in a valuation survey, and whether existing waste fees internalize the marginal social cost of waste. Keywords: Household waste; Norm-based feedback; Social comparisons; Unit-based pricing; Pay-as-you-throw; Welfare cost of nudging (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:238:y:2024:i:c:s0047272724001270 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105191 Access Statistics for this article Journal of Public Economics is currently edited by R. Boadway and J. Poterba More articles in Journal of Public Economics from Elsevier |
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