Seventeenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Despite increasing concerns about the potential negative impacts of neonicotinoid insecticides on pollinator insect health, public attention to this issue is limited. To investigate consumers’ knowledge about and preferences for labeling neonicotinoids, we analyzed the effects of two different pollinator related information treatments (negative and neutral) on U.S. consumers’ preferences for labels disclosing the absence or presence of neonicotinoids. The effects of the information treatments were asymmetric with the negative information treatment having a larger impact on individual choices. In general, information treatments were more effective at influencing participants’ willingness to pay for labels disclosing the absence of neonicotinoids, but less effective for labels disclosing the presence of neonicotinoids. Preexisting knowledge toward neonicotinoids had a significant impact on how individuals responded to product information and thus their choice preferences. Implications for policy makers and industry stakeholders are discussed.