Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Working Papers in Economics,
University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics

No 444: Can Stated Preference Methods Accurately Predict Responses to Environmental Policies? The Case of a Plastic Bag Regulation in China

Haoran He ()
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Haoran He: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG

Abstract: This study investigates the validity of using stated preference (SP) estimates to predict policy effects on plastic bag consumption. Before implementation of a plastic bag regulation, when bags were still free of charge, we utilized an SP survey to elicit consumers’ contingent bag consumption in certain possible pricing scenarios. Following implementation of the regulation mandating charging for bags, we conducted another survey to collect actual consumption information. We thus have unique data to compare stated and revealed consumption. The comparison results show that consumers’ behavioral reactions to a policy change can be predicted reasonably well with SP techniques.

Keywords: China; contingent behavior; external validity; plastic bags; revealed behavior; stated preference

JEL-codes: C91; D12; Q53

41 pages, May 6, 2010

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