Health information and substitution between fish: lessons from laboratory and field experiments
Résumé
This paper compares results from a lab experiment and a field experiment conducted in France to evaluate the impact of health information on fish consumption. In both experiments, health information concerns a benefit (omega 3) and a risk (methylmercury). While the lab experiment focuses on two species, namely canned tuna and canned sardines, the field experiment offers a complete measure of the information impact on the choice of various species by consumers. Results from both experiments showed a significant preference change against canned tuna. In the lab experiment, the preference change was reflected by a decrease in WTP, while in the field experiment the preference change was reflected by a decrease in consumption. In the field experiment, among all fish consumed, only the decrease in consumption of canned tuna was statistically significant. A model calibrated to represent the demand for canned tuna allows for a comparison between the two experiments. It shows that the lab experiment suggests a smaller decrease in canned tuna demand compared to the field experiment.
Les résultats d’une expérimentation en laboratoire et d’une expérimentation de terrain montrent les changements de comportements d’achat et de consommation faisant suite à la révélation d’information sur les risques liés aux substances toxiques (mercure) dans le poisson. Cet article montre l'impact statistiquement significatif d'une telle information sur l’achat et la consommation de poisson, notamment en ce qui concerne le thon en boîte. Un modèle calibré représentant la demande de thon permet de comparer les deux expérimentations. Il est montré que la demande de thon diminue plus fortement dans l’expérimentation de terrain que dans l’expérimentation de laboratoire.