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Behavioral Economics of Pro-Social Plastic Bag Tax

Geoff Riley

30th September 2016

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Which works best, the carrot or the stick? In this short interview one of our favourite behavioural economists Joe Gladstone, Assistant Professor at University College London, discusses the plastic bag tax and why this has been so effective not least because of the importance of loss aversion. The pain of paying for something is more acute at certain trigger points - for example at the check out!

Joe explains the research underpinning how this charge might work to 'nudge' consumers in other areas of public policy.

Behavioral Economics of Plastic Bag Tax
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Geoff Riley

Geoff Riley FRSA has been teaching Economics for nearly forty years. He has over twenty years experience as Head of Economics at leading schools. He writes extensively and is a contributor and presenter on CPD and Revision conferences in the UK and overseas.

@tutor2uGeoff

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