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A number of barriers deter consumers from making energy conserving choices when buying major durables. In a field experiment, refrigerator energy labels and sales staff emphasis were manipulated in an attempt to help put these barriers into perspective. Energy information was most effective in the low price market segment when consumers were choosing between manual and frost-free refrigerators.T here is continuing interest in appliance energy labels as a means of encouraging consumers to select appliance models that are more energy efficient. Currently, energy labeling programs for major appliances are in operation in France, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States, and are expected shortly in Great Britain. The purpose of this paper is:• To relate energy labeling to consumer behavior research, particularly consumer information processing research• To report on a major field experiment that assessed the impact of energy labels and sales staff energy information emphasis on refrigerator sales• To discuss future labeling efforts in terms of major barriers that mitigate against consumer choice of energy efficient products BARRIERS TO ENERGY EFFICIENT CHOICEOthers have noted the low impact of label information in general (Day 1976), and of energy labels in particular (McNeill and Wilkie 1979). A synthesis of the research in this area indicates four major barriers to energy efficient choice.

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