Safeguarding Consumers Through Minimum Quality Standards: Milk Inspections and Urban Mortality, 1880-1910

D. Mark Anderson, Kerwin Kofi Charles, Michael McKelligott and Daniel Rees

No 30063, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We examine the effect of enforcing minimum quality standards (MQSs) on consumer health. In the late 1800s, the urban milk supply was regularly skimmed and diluted with water, but consumers could not easily determine its quality because dyes, caramel, and salt were added. To protect consumers, milk inspectors were tasked with enforcing a well-defined MQS. Using city-level data for the period 1880-1910, we find that milk inspections reduced mortality from waterborne and foodborne diseases by 12-19 percent. Ours is the first study to provide evidence that MQSs can improve consumer health when directly applied to an experience or credence good.

JEL-codes: H75 I18 J18 L51 N31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-his
Note: CH DAE DEV EH IO PE
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