Behavioural Insights Projects

In June 2016, Oxera and the Nuffield Centre for Experimental Social Sciences (CESS) published the results of an experiment testing the effectiveness of different ‘prompts’ in encouraging consumers to shop around. The study, commissioned by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), found that personalised messages were the most effective in stimulating product comparisons, while generic messaging appealing to social norms also had a significant impact.

Institution: Oxera Consulting

Team: Behavioural Economics Team

There is extensive evidence that shows that poor nutrition is associated with a set of non-communicable diseases, which today constitute the main cause of death. Currently in Argentina, excess weight affects all age groups, with a prevalence of 66.1% in the adult population, 13.6% in children under 5 years of age, and 41.1% in the 5 to 17 age group. These figures are accompanied by inadequate eating habits, identifying wide food and nutritional gaps, due to deficit or excess, between current and…

Institution: Other

Team: Behavioral Sciences and Public Policies Unit

How does the presence of consumer protection affect decisions at retirement? Oxera undertook a behavioural experiment for the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) to understand the role of FSCS protection—in both how consumers select their retirement income products, and whether they choose to obtain financial advice. This revealed how people behave in a realistic environment, providing insight into actual consumer behaviour and the importance of the FSCS in their decision-making.

Institution: Oxera Consulting

Using a place-based approach and working with profiled local communities in Coventry, we prototype and test a new experimental methodology with elements of design thinking to better understand barriers to engagement with retrofit measures designed to reduce household carbon emissions and alleviate fuel poverty. We partner with Coventry City Council, a local school and artists to deliver a pilot scheme in the Radford area of Coventry and aim in future to expand the project to additional areas…

Institution: Other

Team: Lory Barile, Bret Willers (Head of Climate Change and Sustainability, Coventry), St. Augustine’s Primary Catholic School in Coventry, and artists at Real Art, Coventry.

'Returning to employment? Don't forget about your benefits!' When individuals receiving benefits return to employment having been registered as unemployed, it is important that they report the change in their income to the Benefits Unit on time, to avoid repayment demands. Why do individuals not comply with this notification requirement? And what interventions could improve compliance? A revised letter from the UWV Employee Insurance Agency and an additional page on the Benefits Unit website…

Institution: Netherlands Employee Insurance Agency (UWV)

Oxera and the Centre for Experimental Social Sciences (CESS) conducted a behavioural experiment on behalf of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to identify the effectiveness of certain summary cost metrics in aiding consumer selection of income drawdown products

Institution: Oxera

Smart energy services and demand flexibility are increasingly important topics. Levels of awareness in an Irish context are uncertain, but engagement is low. We test different ways of framing information on engagement and intention to be flexible. We record flexibility preferences by activity and flexibility mechanisms.

Institution: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)

Team: SEAI Behavioural Economics Unit

The Municipality of Dordrecht organised a competition titled The Cleanest Neighbourhood in Dordrecht. The aim was to get residents to place less rubbish next to underground waste containers. As a result of the experiment, the amount of waste left next to bins decreased and a new social norm was established. Why this experiment was conducted: rubbish left next to waste containers Bin liners and other bags containing residual and larger waste left next to underground containers rank amongst the…

Institution: Netherlands Municipality of Dordrecht

Cambridgeshire Constabulary has noted that 1,650 hate incidents were reported within Cambridgeshire between 1st December 2019 and 28th February 2021 and the vast majority of reported incidents (1,344) were racially-based. The data indicates that since the pandemic (March 2020), incidents of Hate crime have increased for people with the following protected characteristics: disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, race, religion. These groups are already disproportionately adversely impacted by COVID-19…

Institution: Local Government Association

Team: Local Government Association

A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) was conducted at seven of Amel’s community centers to improve the performance of students sitting for Cycle I exams. The trial consisted of a short activity that comprised of a ranking exercise whereby they have to rank a list of 10 values from most of least important to them, followed by a drawing exercise in which they have to visualize their number 1 value [9]. Both exercises were completed by students right before sitting for their exams.

Institution: Nudge Lebanon

Team: Nudge Lebanon