Laboratory of Behavioural and Experimental Economics – LaBEES

The laboratory's activities cover:

• Behavioural and experimental economics
• Economics of consumer behaviour and preference research
• Experimental auctions and non-hypothetical valuation methods
• Discrete choice experiments
• Measuring risk and time preferences
• Trust, cooperation, reciprocity and other forms of social preferences
• Experimental testing of public policy measures and instruments
• Behaviour of farmers and other actors in agri-food chains
• Testing new products, innovations and market concepts
• Econometric analysis of experimental and behavioural data

LaBEES has 11 computer workstations for participants in experiments and specialised infrastructure and software for designing, organising and running laboratory and field studies.

The work uses z-Tree, ORSEE and Qualtrics, as well as various experimental methods and mechanisms, including BDM and other types of auctions, dictator, trust and public goods games, choice experiments and experimental tasks for measuring risk and time preferences.

Besides its research and teaching role, LaBEES focuses on applying behavioural and experimental economics to real problems.

The laboratory develops and carries out research for companies, agricultural producers, institutions, policy-makers and other organisations, including testing consumer preferences, product acceptance and valuation, market behaviour and ex-ante testing of different measures and policies.

In this way LaBEES is a platform connecting science, business and public policy, providing science-based data and evidence for better decision-making.

International collaborators in behavioural and experimental economics also take part in developing the research of LaBEES:

• Prof. Dr Andreas Drichoutis – visiting professor, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece
• Prof. Dr Rodolfo M. Nayga – Texas A&M University, USA
• Prof. Dr Marco Palma – Texas A&M University, USA

Through cooperation at home and abroad, the laboratory aims to contribute to the development of experimental economics and modern research methods, and to their practical application in the agri-food sector and beyond.

Experiment with products of Vitaminka AD Prilep, 2026

LaBEES successfully completed a cooperation with Vitaminka AD Prilep, supported through EIT Food RIS and the InfraBooster programme, aimed at testing the new science-based R&D service for analysing consumer behaviour.

As part of the cooperation, a controlled laboratory study was designed and carried out using the Becker–DeGroot–Marschak (BDM) methodology to measure consumers' real willingness to pay for a product.

The study covered four products of the Fitin and Despina brands (chocolate and wholegrain biscuits), and the experiment was carried out in two phases:

• An assessment based on the packaging and the product information
• A second assessment after tasting

This approach made it possible to separate precisely the effects of branding, packaging and sensory experience on how consumers value the products.

The study was led by Prof. Dr Marina Nacka as its principal investigator, with the aim of providing scientifically valid and applicable results that can be used directly for product development, brand positioning and marketing strategies.

The laboratory extends special thanks to Vitaminka and Orde Gjorgjioski for the excellent cooperation, their trust and their openness to science-based approaches in business decision-making.

With the support of EIT Food, LaBEES further strengthened its capacity for knowledge transfer and for developing market-oriented research services, strengthening the links between science, innovation and industry in the agri-food sector.

Field economic experiment with farmers, 2025

In autumn 2025 LaBEES carried out a field economic experiment (a lab-in-the-field discrete choice experiment), visiting municipalities and rural communities in all eight statistical regions of North Macedonia.

The farmers assessed the key attributes of the current support programmes for agriculture and rural development, the EU-aligned attributes of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and possible transition models for supporting farmers.

More than 20 field sessions were held, and 4 more sessions in LaBEES.

The farmers made decisions that revealed their willingness to trade one benefit for another: higher payments versus less bureaucracy, stronger investment support, different CAP-aligned policy elements and other attributes, showing what really matters to them when they face real constraints.

With the support of 40 APRZ advisers, 226 farmers were successfully recruited – representatives of representative FADN farms.

Special thanks to:

• The farmers who took the time to share their views openly
• The APRZ advisers, for the excellent cooperation and organisation
• The students Sara, Ana, Gjorgi and Mia, who took part in running the experiment, supporting the farmers, setting up equipment and logistics at every location

These data are the basis for a systematic analysis of farmers' preferences and can help to design measures that better reflect farmers' real needs and priorities, especially in administrative simplification, investment support and alignment with the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

Laboratory experiments with students, consumers and farmers, 2025