Behavioural Experiments to Test CO2 Car Labelling: Shaping Vehicle Labelling Standards in the EU
Together with LSE, UOC, Tech4i2 and others, Expilab has co-delivered a project for the European Commission to improve consumer information and awareness about car ecological and CO2 labelling. The Expilab team has focused on co-design and execution of a set of online behavioural experiments across 10 EU countries involving 10,500+ participants. Behavioural experiments provided actionable insights for the design of effective consumer Eco CO2 labels capable of nudging citizens toward more sustainable transportation choices.
Objectives
Project aim was to evaluate how alternative car labels could improve information dissemination and raise awareness among potential car buyers concerning factors such as CO2 emissions, fuel efficiency, and vehicle running costs, thereby promoting more sustainable transportation choices. Expilab’s team was responsible for co-designing, programming and running behavioural experiments using Expilab’s platform for behavioural research.
Challenges
The project team has faced a number of methodological and research challenges including:
Designing alternative car labels by introducing new types of informational content and layouts (horizontal, vertical, different scales, colour schemes and more)
Testing a large number of alternative car labels adapted for displaying information for traditional cars, hybrids, and electric vehicles.
Creating a virtual online shop environment where participants could explore different car models along with information about CO2 emissions, fuel efficiency, and vehicle running costs.
Generation of graphically rich car labels and realistic promotional materials such as information banners to mimic materials typically used by automotive manufacturers.
Running data collection across different languages and meaningful localisation of treatments for 10 EU member-states.
Solution
To test alternative CO2 car labels and informational/promotional banners about CO2 emissions, project team has conducted a preliminary survey, 2 laboratory experiments at LSE’s behavioural lab, and 1 large pan-European online field experiment. The laboratory and field experiments were designed, programmed, and executed using Expilab’s digital research platform for behavioural research.
During behavioural experiments, 10.500+ participants from 10 EU countries were presented with different car models available for a virtual purchase. Presented cars were randomly sampled from a database of 500 vehicles along with information about CO2 emissions, fuel efficiency, and vehicle running costs. CO2 eco labels were dynamically generated and displayed along with car image and vehicle specifications. These eco labels included traditional vertical and horizontal eco labels as well as country-specific formats for German and UK vehicles (see below).
Examples of vertical and horizontal eco labels tested
We also used mouse tracking as a decision process-tracing tool. This method involved tracking the movement of a computer mouse to observe how participants engaged with information during the decision-making process. Information was displayed in sections, with each section containing hidden data that became visible when the mouse hovered over it (see below). The tool recorded the duration for which each piece of information was viewed, the sequence of viewing, and the frequency of visits to each section. This helped us understand which attributes were most important to individuals in their decision-making.
Mouse tracking is enabled (portions of the screen are displayed when the mouse cursor is placed on top of it)
Project Results
Developed and successfully tested a scalable experimental environment, suitable for evaluating energy efficiency and CO2 labeling for any type of vehicle.
Collected data from 500 laboratory participants and over 10,000 online participants across 10 EU member states.
Assessed the effectiveness of both current and new car labeling approaches, resulting in the development of policy recommendations.
Case Studies
... more case-studies are coming!
Using Gamification to Learn About How People Spend Money
Spending game is a research tool to study economic behavior of kids and adults through gamification. With the original idea coming from Dr. Heather Kappes from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the spending game was co-designed and developed by LSE and Expilab.
Using Gamification to Learn About How People Spend Money
Spending game is a research tool to study economic behavior of kids and adults through gamification. With the original idea coming from Dr. Heather Kappes from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the spending game was co-designed and developed by LSE and Expilab.
NHS Choices. Choosing a High Quality Hospital
A series of behavioural laboratory and field experiments exploring the impact of various behavioural nudges and, in general, of choice architecture on choices made by NHS patients and travellers were programmed and conducted using the Expilab web-platform. Decision process-tracing tools that allowed the collection of data about participants’ attention areas during the choice tasks were embedded into the design of the field experiments.
NHS Choices. Choosing a High Quality Hospital
A series of behavioural laboratory and field experiments exploring the impact of various behavioural nudges and, in general, of choice architecture on choices made by NHS patients and travellers were programmed and conducted using the Expilab web-platform. Decision process-tracing tools that allowed the collection of data about participants’ attention areas during the choice tasks were embedded into the design of the field experiments.
Behavioural Experiments to Test CO2 Car Labelling: Shaping Vehicle Labelling Standards in the EU
Together with LSE, UOC, Tech4i2 and others, Expilab has co-delivered a project for the European Commission to improve consumer information and awareness about car ecological and CO2 labelling. The Expilab team has focused on co-design and execution of a set of online behavioural experiments across 10 EU countries involving 10,500+ participants. Behavioural experiments provided actionable insights for the design of effective consumer Eco CO2 labels capable of nudging citizens toward more sustainable transportation choices.
Behavioural Experiments to Test CO2 Car Labelling: Shaping Vehicle Labelling Standards in the EU
Together with LSE, UOC, Tech4i2 and others, Expilab has co-delivered a project for the European Commission to improve consumer information and awareness about car ecological and CO2 labelling. The Expilab team has focused on co-design and execution of a set of online behavioural experiments across 10 EU countries involving 10,500+ participants. Behavioural experiments provided actionable insights for the design of effective consumer Eco CO2 labels capable of nudging citizens toward more sustainable transportation choices.
Our approach combines the power of Behavioural Science and Human-Centered Design to craft innovative products and experiences that resonate with what people truly want and need.
Get started now: Share your ideas for a no-obligation and friendly chat with us!
We deliver end-to-end 360-degree research solutions, managing everything from programming complex behavioural experiments to recruitment of participants and statistical analysis.
Tell us how we can help you. We can confidentially discuss your ideas without any obligations from your side!
Do you need participants for your experiments? We have access to 100M+ participants (panelists) from 100+ countries in the world.
assist@expilab.com
