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Time preference and nutrition label use: Evidence from China
Lijun Guan1, Zuhui Huang2, Shaosheng Jin2
1School of Economics, Zhejiang University of Technology, 288 Liuhe Road, Hangzhou 310023, China.
Economics and Human Biology
|September 18, 2022
Summary
People who are more patient and less impulsive are more likely to use food nutrition labels. This study links time preference, including impatience and hyperbolic discounting, to label use behavior in China.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Economics
- Consumer Science
- Public Health Nutrition
Background:
- Food nutrition label use is often considered intertemporal decision-making due to delayed benefits.
- Previous research has not sufficiently explored the link between time preference and nutrition label utilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly investigate the association between time preference and food nutrition label use behavior.
- To analyze how impatience and discounting influence label use.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis to establish the relationship between time preference and label use.
- Empirical analysis of a nationwide survey of 1220 Chinese adults.
Main Results:
- Individuals with lower present bias and greater long-run patience demonstrate higher frequency of nutrition label use.
- Time preference, encompassing both impatience and hyperbolic discounting, is significantly related to nutrition label use behavior.
- Findings confirmed the theoretical predictions in a Chinese adult population.
Conclusions:
- Time preference is a key determinant of food nutrition label use.
- Understanding consumers' time preferences can inform strategies to enhance label utilization.
- Results offer policy implications for improving dietary choices in China and other developing nations.
