Does Health Information Matter for Modifying Consumption? A Field Experiment Measuring the Impact of Risk Information on Fish Consumption

Philippe Verger, Stephan Marette, Sandrine Blanchemanche and Jutta Roosen

No 18454, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Archive from Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Abstract: A field experiment was conducted in France to evaluate the impact of health information on fish consumption. A warning given to the treatment group revealed the risks of methylmercury contamination in fish and also gave consumption recommendations. Using difference-in-differences estimation, we show that this warning led to a significant but relatively weak decrease in fish consumption. However, consumption of the most contaminated fish did not decrease despite advice to avoid consumption of these types of fish. Accompanying questionnaires show that consumers imperfectly memorize the fish species quoted in the warning. The results point to the relatively poor efficacy of a complex health message, despite its use by health agencies around the world.

Keywords: Food; Consumption/Nutrition/Food; Safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39
Date: 2007
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:hebarc:18454

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.18454

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