Evaluating Excise Taxes: The Need to Consider Brand Advertising

Brand Advertising, Advertising Effects, Excise Taxes, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Marketing, M35, M38,

Changes in the Functional Distribution of Household Income in Washington: A Comparison using 1990 and 2000 PUMS Census Data

This paper examines and details the main sources of household income in Washington using the Census of Population PUMS microsample. In accord with the generally good economy in the 1990’s, the share of property type income in total household income increased from 1990 to 2000. And with welfare reform in the mid-1990’s the share of public assistance type income decreased as a share of household income. In order to better understand the relative importance of alternative sources of income to Washington households, each household was identified according to the income source which provided the largest contribution to household income. For example, a household whose largest source of income comes from salary and wages was identified as a Labor household. Similarly, households whose largest source of income was interest, dividends or net rentals were identified as Capital households. Labor and capital households are not very different in terms of mean household income. In 2000, average household income of Labor households was $65,300 while the average household income of Capital households was$96,200. However, Labor households were very different than Capital household regarding diversification of income source. Labor households depended upon wage income for 92 percent of mean household income. Capital households obtained 70 percent of their mean household income from interest, dividends and rents, but also had 11 percent of their mean income from wages and 15 percent of their mean income from social security and pensions.Sources of household income in washington, labor's share of income, capital's share of income

The Effect of Retail Grocery Coupons for Breakfast Cereals on Household Purchasing Behavior

We examine the affect of retail and manufacturer coupons on the nutritional quality of breakfast cereal purchases made by households. Using household level purchase data we find that coupon usage has a significant impact on the nutritional quality of cereals purchased by households. Specifically, we find that the average sugar content decreases and the fiber content increases. This suggests that coupons have a positive impact on the nutritional quality of cereals purchased by households, holding all other factors constant. Given the prolific use of coupons by households and the fact that they offer both a price discount and an advertisement for products, they might be an effective way to help guide consumers to healthier food choices.coupons, breakfast cereal, nutrition, panel data, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Health Economics and Policy, Marketing, D10, I10, M30, C23,

Measuring the Economic Impact of Agricultural Policies in Metro and Non-Metro Regions in Washington: A Regional General Equilibrium Approach

WA regional CGE model for the state of Washington was used to examine the economic impacts from increasing export demand in different agricultural industries and manufacturing. We developed a procedure to modify a state level IMPLAN based CGE model to include 4 household groups designated by geographic location (metro or non-metro) and type of household (farm or non-farm). We also disaggregated the single labor category from IMPLAN into 6 distinct labor groups comprised of like-skill occupations. Our grouping of households by geography and type verifies that economic impacts from agricultural export shocks, are not evenly distributed. Our results demonstrate that wages paid by the agriculture industry tend to benefit farm households more, and non-metro farm households the most. Welfare effects are also greatest for farm households in terms of equivalent variation. However, even metro non-farm households also receive positive welfare change through spillover effects in the form of increased returns to labor and capital captured by these households.agricultural exports, equivalent variation, welfare changes on metro and nonmetro households

Coordinating on Reducing Advertising: Carbonated Soft Drinks Industry and Combating Obesity

Replaced with revised version of paper 06/08/11.television advertising, carbonated soft drink, oligopoly advertising, pulse advertising, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Health Economics and Policy, Industrial Organization, Marketing, I18, L13, M37,

In the U.S., households that have a higher level of educational attainment purchase more fruits and vegetables

The U.S. currently faces an obesity crisis, costing society billions in preventative and treatment services as well as premature deaths. The declining consumption of fruits and vegetables among the public is often cited as a contributor to the crisis. In new research covering more than 7000 households, Joshua Berning and John Hogan find that those households that are headed by a college graduate purchase around nine more servings of fruits and vegetables a week compared to those with only a high school education. Not only do more highly educated people eat more fruits and vegetables, they also eat produce of higher quality. In light of these findings, they argue that we should not ignore the potential for education to counter the environmental factors that help to encourage obesity

The constructive evolution of taste in Astyanax cavefish: A review

Animals inhabiting subterranean environments tend to evolve a constellation of ‘regressive’ and ‘constructive’ features. Regressive traits like vision and pigmentation are reduced or lost in derived organisms. In contrast, constructive traits like non-visual sensation, are commonly augmented and evolving under strong selection. Numerous studies have examined the genetic, developmental and molecular bases for regressive traits, while constructive traits have received less attention. A key constructive sensory feature in cave animals is the gustatory system which is likely useful for animals living in complete darkness, given the need to secure food for survival. Interestingly, despite having been studied for decades in the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, much remains unknown regarding the biological basis, and adaptive relevance, of taste system evolution in cave morphs. Here, we present a brief review of taste system research in this system, conducted over the past ~90  years. We underscore key differences in gustation between cave and surface fish that reside at the levels of anatomy, perception and behavior. From this review, we sought to identify key knowledge gaps in our understanding of constructive taste system evolution. Future studies will provide further insights to the nature of constructive trait evolution by determining if constructive and regressive traits evolve through similar or different genetic and developmental mechanisms, and provide an essential case study for examining convergence of constructive traits across geographically distinct populations

The Effects of Benefit Timing and Income Fungibility on Food Purchasing Decisions among SNAP Households

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest nutritional safety net in the United States. Prior research has found that participants have higher consumption shortly after receiving their benefits, followed by lower consumption towards the end of the benefit month. This “SNAP benefit cycle” has been found to have negative effects on beneficiaries. We examine two behavioral responses of SNAP participants that may work in tandem to drive much of the cycle: short-run impatience – a higher preference to consume today; and fungibility of income – the degree of substitutability between a SNAP dollar and a cash dollar. Using data from the National Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS), we find evidence of both behavioral responses. The degree of short-run impatience and fungibility of income is found to differ significantly across poverty levels and use of grocery lists to plan food purchases. Food purchase planning education could be used to counter the observed benefit cycle. Deeper analysis of the purchase data suggests that the benefit cycle is primarily associated with a decrease in the purchase of healthful and perishable foods—which could lead to lower dietary quality. We also find evidence that suggests households compensate for the effects of the SNAP benefit cycle by acquiring free food, primarily from schools. This highlights the importance of programs like the National School Lunch Program for SNAP households

Shelf label nutrition information Consumer preferences and behavior

Motivated by a steady global increase in obesity and an increasing demand for healthy foods, a large number of different nutrition labels are being offered to consumers. Nutrition labels benefit consumers by increasing product knowledge, reducing search costs, and making it easier to identify healthier choices. Available nutrition labels provide varying amounts of nutrition information, however. Consumers have heterogeneous preferences for information and therefore respond differently to certain types of nutrition labels, making some labels more effective than others. This work contributes to the economics and marketing literatures by identifying consumer preferences for nutrition information provided on grocery store shelf labels and testing whether shelf label nutrition information affects consumer behavior. Choice experiments are used to elicit consumer preferences for nutrition information provided on grocery store shelf labels. The results of the choice experiments are analyzed using random parameters logit models. In general, consumers demonstrate a strong affinity for shelf label nutrition information; however, preferences vary between identified market segments. The presentation of the nutrition information significantly affects consumer preferences as well. In terms of the type of nutrition information provided, consumers have higher mean preferences for detailed nutrition labels over summary nutrition labels. There is a larger dispersion, however, of population preferences for the detailed information. While nutritionally conscious consumers prefer the detailed nutrition information, it may be more effective to provide shoppers who normally do not acquire nutrition information with summary labels. A field experiment is used to examine the effectiveness of nutrition information provided on grocery store shelf labels where effectiveness is measured in terms of how well shelf label nutrition information attracts attention and how it affects shopper behavior. We find that a highly prominent display of shelf label nutrition information attracts shopper attention and affects shopper behavior as well. The effect on behavior, however, is dependent on the type of product. Grocery stores that choose to offer their own nutrition labels can benefit from generating awareness of their efforts