Consumer choice

Analysis and Comment (5)

Tmh3ct8m-1361944558
It is not currently possible to find the energy source sold by any of the licensed electricity retailers in Australia. Flickr/dereckGavey

Do you know how clean your electricity is?

By Fiona Berry, University of Technology, Sydney

In Europe and America, electricity retailers let their customers know whether their electricity is coming from renewable energy or fossil fuels. In Australia, your retailer has no such obligation. The…
Ysp3hqwg-1359423021
There’s a gap between what people with private health insurance think they’re paying for and what they’re getting. mvcaf/Flickr

Private health insurance and the illusion of choice

By Karen Willis and Kirsten Harley

The number of people with health insurance plummeted in the 1990s, but almost half the Australian population now has private hospital insurance and over half have ancillary or extras cover. But our research…
Wnk3gt3n-1349671856
Battle of the smartphones: the Apple iPhone IV and the Samsung Galaxy II . AAP

Spot the difference: brand power and the rise of the copycats

By Charlie Ranscombe, Swinburne University of Technology

Don’t worry — you’re not seeing double. Everything looks the same … well, certainly in mass market products such as consumer electronics. The high profile litigation between Apple and Samsung is just…
Sjwtf2xn-1346292551
Health-care budgets are far from infinite, so how do we decide what’s funded and what’s not? stumayhew

Who deserves more health-care funding? Let’s hear from Australians themselves

By Terry Flynn, University of Technology, Sydney and Joffre Swait, University of Technology, Sydney

Health-care reform in industrialised countries is usually motivated by ageing populations, shaky economic conditions and shifting demographics. Health budgets are finite, so decisions must be made about…
Qgnjwr5x-1337903335
Carbon double-take: shoppers will turn to eco-friendly groceries, mainly when they’re cheap. Flickr/Bruce A Stockwell

Do carbon labels change shopping behaviour?

By Jerry Vanclay

If everyday items were labelled according to the carbon emissions embodied in them, would shoppers change what they buy? And if they did, would it make a difference in the grand scheme of things? Voluntary…

Research Briefs (1)

Crisp, new notes encourage saving

The University of Winnipe and The University of Guelph

We’re more likely to spend worn bills than crisp, new notes according to a joint study from The University of Winnipe and…

Participants (23)