Strengthening the Local Economy
Sweden, 2016
UTAS
Strengthening the Local Economy
Sustainability has been a key point in the Swedish government’s agenda since at least 2002, when the country’s institutions adopted Sweden’s first national sustainable development strategy. Shopping local goods and services is one habit that can help reduce a consumer’s carbon footprint and help boost the local economy, particularly that of small businesses and entrepreneurs. Shopping local, though, may not be so appealing for consumers that may prefer the convenience and brand names found in larger shopping centres. Participants designed an experiment using behavioural insights to nudge Swedish consumers to shop locally instead of buying at shopping malls. The winning idea was then carried out in partnership with GöteborgsLokale.