Deliverables

Authors
Bhavesh Gulati (a,b)*, Laëtitia Dillenseger (c), Irene Cresci (a), Tommaso Luzzati (a,d)
(a) Dipartimento di Economia e Management – Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
(b) Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia, Italy
(c) Dipartimento di Economia Politica e Statistica – Università di Siena, Siena, Italy
(d) REMARC – Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Keywords
Premature obsolescence, Long product lifetime, Eco-design for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR)

Abstract
Premature obsolescence has significant environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Extending the lifetime of products is a key aim of the Eco-design for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR), recently introduced by the European Commission. Several barriers to achieving longer product lifetime (LPL) have been identified in the literature. By examining the systemic interplay among these barriers and forms of premature obsolescence, we develop a framework useful to analyse the potential effectiveness of ESPR. We highlight that these barriers are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, confirming the need for public policies that consider these interactions and reduce premature obsolescence. Moreover, while the ESPR successfully addresses technical and economic challenges related to product lifetime extension, it remains limited in tackling symbolic obsolescence and ingrained societal consumption patterns.

Presentations

Link for download
https://journals.aau.dk/index.php/plate2025/article/view/10336

Authors
Tommaso Luzzati (1), Vicente Rios (1), Irene Cresci (1), Bhavesh Gulati (1,2), Laetitia Dillenseger (3)
(1) University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
(2) Scuola Superiore Studi IUSS, Pavia, Italy; University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
(3) University of Siena, Italy

Keywords
Digital product passport, Eco-labelling, Durability, Imperfect information, Field Experiment, Logit Regressions

Abstract
The European Union’s Digital Product Passport (DPP), adopted in 2024, aims to promote sustainable practices by providing consumers with product-level sustainability information, including durability. Empirical evidence on the effectiveness of durability labelling remains limited and largely relies on contingent-choice experiments. To address this gap, we conducted a randomized field experiment in which more than 400 university students chose between two lottery prizes: one thicker, more durable T-shirt priced at €20 (“Giraffe”) or two thinner, less durable T-shirts priced at €10 each (“Zebra”), ensuring equivalent incentives. Participants then completed a questionnaire including questions about potential drivers and confounders. Using a between-subjects design, we tested the effect of adding a simple durability claim (“Made to last”) to the Giraffe T-shirt label. Logit estimates show that the durability claim increases the likelihood of choosing the more durable T-shirt, conditional on trust in the claim. These findings suggest that policies facilitating label credibility, such as the DPP, may contribute to influencing consumer choices toward more durable products.

Presentations

Authors
Laetitia Dillenseger, Dipartimento di Economia Politica e Statistica, University of Siena, Italy
Irene Cresci, Dipartimento di Economia e Management, Università di Pisa, Italy

Keywords
Flexible work arrangements, Working time reduction, Volunteering participation, Volunteering intensity 

Abstract
Although a substantial body of literature has examined the relationship between working time and volunteering behaviour, the evidence remains mixed and relies largely on cross-sectional studies (Lup & Booth, 2019). Using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) covering the period 2012-2019, we estimate the relationship between volunteering and (a) total paid working hours, and (b) specific forms of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs). All analyses consider volunteering along two dimensions, participation and frequency. Our results indicate that total paid working hours are negatively associated with both participation in and the frequency of volunteering. FWAs involving working time reduction - namely part-time work, term-time work, and job sharing - are significantly associated with volunteering participation, but not with volunteering intensity. The remaining FWAs, which focus directly on workers’ flexibility (flexible working hours, compressed working weeks, and annualised hours), are not statistically significant.

Presentations

Stop Premature Obsolescence: LessTrash, Fewer Working Hours, Same Pay

Authors
Tommaso Luzzati (1,4), Joseph Christopher Proctor (2), Daniela Murcia (3), Simone D'Alessandro (1)
(1) Dipartimento di Economia e Management - Università di Pisa, Italy
(2) Bocconi University - Institute for European Policymaking
(3) University Cote d’Azur
(4) REMARC - Università di Pisa, Italy

Abstract
About a century ago, Keynes predicted that, thanks to technological progress, today’s working week would be reduced to 15 hours. In practice, however, large technological gains seems to have been offset by a substantial shortening of product lifespans. From a standard microeconomic perspective, this is inefficient as more labour and material resources are employed than necessary to deliver a given level of product-provided services. In this paper, we model policies aimed at reducing the current ‘throwaway economy’ as inducing a positive productivity shock in one economic sector and examine the conditions under which this shock’s propagation to other sectors can lead to a reduction in working time, without reducing consumers’ well-being, labour compensation, or profits. To this purpose, we first focus on a stylized three sector economy - using both a physically extended INPUT-OUTPUT example and a system-dynamic stock-flow model. Then, we implement a scenario analysis using the large-scale EUROGREEN model.

Extended Abstract

Presentations

Authors
Tommaso Luzzati (1)*, Emilio Padilla Rosa (2), Bhavesh Gulati (1,4), Vicente Rios Ibanez (1), Angela Parenti (1), Stefan Giljum (3)
(1) Università di Pisa, Italy
(2) Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
(3) Vienna University of Economics and Business
(4) Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia
*corresponding author: tommaso.luzzati@unipi.it

Keywords
Environmental Kuznets Curve, Material Footprint, Domestic Material Consumption, Semiparametric estimation

Abstract
Global use of materials has significantly increased over recent decades, causing a wide range of environmental and social concerns. In this study, we use the latest available data from the UN database on global material flows to investigate the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis for two widely used material flow indicators, Domestic Material Consumption and Material Footprint, for a dataset of 147 countries. Using both semiparametric and parametric methods over a longer period than any previous study (1970–2019), we find no evidence in support of the EKC hypothesis. A concerning result is that material-income elasticities are higher after 1989, implying that the situation has not improved. We conclude that major changes have not yet occurred in the income-material use relationship and that strong policy measures remain necessary to reduce material use.

Authors
Matilde Banti (a), Tommaso Luzzati* (a,b)
(a) Dipartimento di Economia e Management – Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
(b) REMARC – Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
* Corresponding author: tommaso.luzzati@unipi.it 

Keywords
Barriers to diffusion, Sustainability transitions, Circular innovations, Plastic waste reduction, Material Efficiency

Abstract
Highlights:
1) Solid cosmetics offer ecological benefits but still face low market adoption.
2) Literature on solid cosmetics’ diffusion focuses mostly on consumers.
3) Firms report barriers shaping solid cosmetics’ market dynamics.
4) Interviews reveal systemic obstacles to wider use of solid cosmetics.
5) Communication and policy actions are needed to support greener cosmetics.

The transition toward sustainability increasingly challenges the cosmetics industry to redesign its products and business models. Solid cosmetics - formulations without water and with minimal packaging - are positioned as eco-innovations that could reduce plastic waste and resource intensity. However, their market penetration remains limited. Existing research on the barriers to their diffusion is scarce and mainly focuses on consumer perspective. This paper first outlines the environmental benefits of solid cosmetics, then reviews the main barriers discussed in the literature. Given the near absence of studies addressing the business perspective, we conducted exploratory interviews to address this gap. Drawing on these interviews, we propose a preliminary interpretative framework to interpret the barriers hindering the diffusion of solid cosmetics and the systemic linkages shaping their market dynamics.

Link for download
https://www.ec.unipi.it/documents/Ricerca/papers/2026-327.pdf

Authors
Claire Mouminoux (1), Laetitia Dillenseger (2)
(1) Corresponding author: mouminoux@unistra.fr; Université de Strasbourg, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, INRAE, AgroParisTech, BETA, Strasbourg, France; ORCID: 0000-0003-0649-0787
(2) University of Siena, Dipartimento di Economia Politica e Statistica, Siena, Italy; ORCID: 0000-0002-5903-6492

Keywords
Monetary incentives, Environmental concern, Pro-environmental behaviour, Field experiment, Crowding-out effect

Abstract
This study uses a field experiment to examine how a monetary incentive affects hypothetical intention, sign-ups, and show-ups in a litter cleanup, and how environmental concern moderates this effect. Participants were randomly assigned to either a paid or unpaid condition. Overall, we find a discrepancy between hypothetical intention, sign-ups, and show-ups across all treatments, highlighting the limitations of survey-based studies relying on hypothetical scenarios. Additionally, while the monetary incentive boosts initial sign-ups, it fails to increase show-up rates, raising concerns about its cost-effectiveness. Also, its effect is heterogeneous: it attracts individuals with low environmental concern but discourages those already concerned by environmental issues. These findings underscore two limitations of the monetary incentive: it drives sign-ups but fails to sustain participation, and it may deter those already concerned by environmental causes. Although the incentive is effective for certain groups, it does not universally promote behavioural change, contributing to the broader discussion on the role of monetary rewards in fostering pro-environmental behaviours.

Authors
Laetitia Dillenseger, Thi Huong Nhai Nguyen, Thi Kim Cuong Pham, Anne Stenger

Keywords
Cognitive well-being, Affective well-being, Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, Organic farming, Pro-environmental decision, Subjective well-being

Abstract
This paper examines how different motivations for engaging in organic farming may impact the farmers’ subjective well-being using a large-scale 2023 survey database from the French Agence Bio and leveraging the multi-dimension of well-being. Three measures capturing both affective and cognitive aspects of the well-being of farmers brought by their involvement in organic farming are used: Feelings of Pride, Satisfaction, and Feeling of Happiness. We focus on the effects of two types of motivations: intrinsic and extrinsic. Our results indicate that most intrinsic motivations, including concern about public health and human health, concern about the environment, and the request for autonomy in farming decisions, significantly and positively impact both the affective aspect (i.e., Pride, Happiness) and the cognitive aspect (i.e., Satisfaction) of farmers’ well-being. In contrast, extrinsic motivations related to the request for profits earned from fair prices and the response to demand incentives exert a negative influence. Besides motivations, our multi-dimensional well-being analyses also reveal that income, farming experience and difficulty, and production types significantly impact both affective and cognitive well-being. It is shown that social comparison (income) does not matter while social ties do. Finally, some aspects of farming characteristics and lifestyle factors (e.g., number of working hours and number of vacation days) contribute to cognitive well-being, while others (e.g., support from family and others) are associated with affective well-being.

Link for download
https://www.beta-economics.fr/working-papers/2025-20/

Authors
Stefano Bartolini (1), Laëtitia Dillenseger (2)
(1) Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Siena, (2) Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Siena

Keywords
Youth well-being, Subjective well-being, Mental health, Time use, High income countries, Structural change

Abstract
Although global data on subjective well-being (SWB) among children and adolescents remain limited, evidence from high-income countries highlights a mounting crisis in youth well-being and mental health. In recent years, there has been growing global interest in the study of children’s well-being, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, available time-series evidence suggests that the youth well-being crisis began long before the pandemic. To date, research has primarily concentrated on the intrinsic mechanisms influencing children’s well-being, as well as on the family, social, and cultural factors that may shape it (Xu et al., 2024). Despite this, there is limited understanding of how broader structural dynamics affect children’s well-being. In this work, first we provide a review of the evidence on the youth well-being and mental health crisis. Second, we argue that youth have experienced a revolution in their time use and living environment in HICs since the 1980s. Children’s daily lives have shifted away from unstructured play and peer-based face-to-face interactions, toward home-centered, screen-based and adult-supervised activities. Moreover, over time, kids, and teens have faced more commercial and performance pressure, and have lost autonomy. Third, we review the literature on the impact of these changes on youth’ well-being. We then discuss the policy reforms needed to address these structural changes. In particular, we argue that urban planning, education systems, advertising, and the climate crisis play a critical role in shaping children’s social experiences and well-being. We conclude by emphasizing the need for ambitious reforms in these areas to restore youth time, expand opportunities for independent experiences, and safeguard its social lives and well-being.

Link for download
https://www.deps.unisi.it/it/ricerca/pubblicazioni-deps/quaderni-deps/anno-2026-da-n937-n/940-structural-causes-youth-well-being

Authors
Ken-Ichi Akao (1), Stefano Bartolini (2)
(1) Waseda University, (2) University of Siena

Keywords
Defensive growth, Social capital, Relative consumption

Abstract
Over the past half century in the US, substantial economic growth coexisted with increasing inequality, and the erosion of social capital and well-being. Currently, no comprehensive explanations is available for such paradoxical mix of brilliant economic performance and social crises. We present a simple endogenous growth model showing that economic growth, the decline of social capital and well-being, and rising well-being inequality can be interconnected, mutually reinforcing phenomena. This type of growth can be described as defensive because it arises from the expenditures of households aimed at defending themselves against growth-related negative externalities, thus fostering economic growth. Defensive growth leads to a loss of well-being in the long run because, beyond a certain level of output, private prosperity is no longer able to compensate for social poverty. Along a defensive growth path, the decline of social capital disproportionately weighs on the well-being of low-
income households, because of their relatively lower capacity to Önance defensive spending. This prediction is consistent with the evidence showing that over the past 50 years the loser of the ìpursuit of happinessîstated in the American Constitution is the working class.

Link for download
https://www.deps.unisi.it/it/ricerca/pubblicazioni-deps/quaderni-deps/anno-2026-da-n937-n/941-economic-growth-and-social-crisis