The impact of nature relatedness on carbon labeling type selection and willingness to pay a carbon premium

Currently, carbon emissions are the primary driver of the global greenhouse gas effect, closely linked to daily consumption activities. Low-carbon consumption has emerged as a critical component of the low-carbon economy. Carbon labels were introduced to guide consumers toward more sustainable choices. By enhancing access to environmental-friendly information, carbon labeling mitigates the asymmetry of carbon-related information between consumers and manufacturers. Additionally, as a guiding social norm, it contributes to fostering a culture of low-carbon consumption. This study analyzes the impact of carbon labels on consumers’ low-carbon purchasing decisions by categorizing them into numerical and non-numerical types. Utilizing an incremental dual-pronged experimental design, we explore the interplay among consumers’ nature relatedness, the perceived value of carbon labels, trust levels in these labels, preferences for label types, and the willingness to pay a premium for carbon-labeled products. The experimental results indicate that consumers’ environmental attitudes - nature relatedness, significantly influence their willingness to purchase low-carbon products, higher levels of nature relatedness are positively associated with an increased likelihood of selecting carbon-labeled products, especially those featuring numerical carbon labels. Furthermore, the perceived value of carbon labels and the degree of trust in these labels serve as dual mediators between nature relatedness and the willingness to choose and pay a premium for carbon-labeled goods. Interestingly, consumers demonstrate a higher willingness to pay a premium for non-numerical carbon labels compared to numerical ones. These findings offer valuable insights for Chinese enterprises looking to implement marketing strategies based on carbon labeling as they navigate the early stages of the low-carbon economy.