Research

Households' Food Carbon Footprints (JMP)

- Global food systems are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, yet strategies to mitigate food-related emissions receive low public acceptance. To better understand this gap, this study pioneers a comprehensive analysis of household-level food carbon footprints using a representative panel survey for France from 2017-2019. Using machine learning techniques to match food purchases and environmental data, I unveil significant emission disparities across sociodemographic groups, with a notable portion of these differences attributable to unobserved heterogeneity. By segmenting households into quartiles based on their current emission levels, I estimate a structural demand model that reveals distinct profiles in consumption behavior and price sensitivity, particularly contrasting low and high-emission households. These findings underscore the need to consider households' heterogeneous reactions to price changes when designing climate-related food policies.

- Shocks in energy prices impact households' disposable income and welfare, with consequences for the acceptance of environmental policies. We examine how households adjust food consumption to such shocks, by estimating the effects of fuel prices on food purchasing patterns in France. Using homescan data, we find an elasticity of total food expenditure of approximately -0.3, mainly through reductions in the unit value of products. We highlight that households adjust more on unit value for fresh fruits and vegetables, and more on volumes for animal proteins and alcohol. They adjust their purchase patterns by restricting the frequency of shopping trips, visiting hard discount stores, substituting among, and buying in bulk. Low-income households do not adjust significantly to fuel price shocks, likely because they have already largely exploited these adjustment margins. Thus, they are directly affected by any abrupt increase in fuel prices.

Junk Food, Leisure, and Income Inequalities (with Eve Colson-Sihra, Hugo Molina and Emmanuel Paroissien)

Carbon Footprints and Gender (with Marion Leroutier)

This paper emphasises the evolution of gender inequalities in economics. Our analysis of recent literature and data highlights that the reduction in gender inequality has been heterogeneous, with the most significant changes being observed at the higher ranks, leaving substantial gaps at other levels. We explore how understanding the nuances of women's behaviours and career choices, alongside recognising and mitigating gender biases in evaluation and workplace environments, contributes to this progress. Our discussion extends to the labour market for economists, drawing parallels with broader labour trends and examining how gender-biased treatment and hiring processes impact women's advancement. We then turn to policy interventions instrumental in promoting gender balance, focusing on networks, mentorship, role models, and representation. This comprehensive review aims to elucidate the multifaceted approach needed to continue advancing gender equality in economics.