PRICE PREMIUMS FOR MEAT PRODUCTS WITH CARBON FOOTPRINT RELATED LABELS

This study investigates the price premium for labeling of carbon-relevant practices and other potentially relevant labels on meat product, including organic, grass-feeding/-fed, gluten-free, and whether it is non-GMO, etc. Prices and labeling information about beef, pork, chicken, and other meat products in selected stores from 48 states were collected via web-scraping and investigated for product claims and labels directly or indirectly related to carbon. Market-observed price premiums for reduced carbon labels or using sustainable practices were investigated alongside impacts of geography on product prices. 

Our results showed significant price premiums for almost all of the claims investigated. For beef and chicken products the variable/label with the highest price premium associated was Less greenhouse gas and for the pork products, the variable/label Non-GMO was associated with the highest price premium of those studied.