Taking action through stories: Promoting carbon-neutral meat consumption with narrative and message framing

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Consumer Psychology
• Behavioral Economics

Background:

• Carbon-neutral meat products present a strategy to mitigate anthropogenic emissions.
• Carbon labelling aims to promote eco-friendly consumer behavior through transparent information.
• Current carbon labels often lack consumer comprehension, limiting their effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate methods for improving the efficacy of carbon labels on meat products.
• To explore the role of communication strategies in bridging information asymmetry regarding carbon footprints.
• To assess the impact of narrative storytelling and message framing on consumer perception and purchasing decisions for carbon-neutral meat.

Main Methods:

• Conducted five online controlled experiments utilizing realistic meat packaging designs.
• Tested the effectiveness of narrative storytelling and message framing in conjunction with carbon labels.
• Employed high ecological validity in experimental designs to simulate real-world consumer choices.

Main Results:

• Simple, short-form narrative storytelling significantly enhanced the effectiveness of carbon labels.
• Pairing narrative storytelling with gain-framed messages further amplified positive effects.
• Improved message comprehension and certainty regarding environmental impact were key mediators.
• Consumers showed a preference for less cognitively demanding communication, leading to favorable attitudes and increased purchase intent.

Conclusions:

• Narrative storytelling and gain-framed messaging are effective communication tools to boost carbon label efficacy.
• Reducing cognitive load in environmental communication enhances consumer acceptance and purchasing behavior.
• Strategic communication can bridge the gap between product sustainability and consumer understanding, driving demand for carbon-neutral options.