Consumer Response to Contains and Free of Labeling: Evidence from Lab Experiments

Using a lab experiment with 351 adult non-student subjects, we investigate the impact of labels and secondary information on willingness to pay (WTP) for foods that use various ingredients and processes that have been the subject of food policy discussions. We find a distinct asymmetry of WTP sensitivity between Contains X and Free of X labels with negatively-framed secondary information. The Free of X label has an impact only when secondary information is provided, and the negative impact of Contains X is mitigated by secondary information. We also consider how the results of our study can inform the ongoing debate about mandatory food labeling regulations in the United States: if mandatory labeling is adopted, providing additional information about what the product contains would significantly lessen the negative impact on demand.