There’s no such thing as a free lunch: evidence of altruism and agency from household expenditure responses to child nutrition programs

Transfers for particular client groups such as children are often in-kind rather than cash. However, this may, at least partially, crowd out private expenditures on the goods in question because they reduce the incentive for other individuals, like parents, to make altruistic transfers. They are often made to one household member on behalf of another so there may also be agency concerns. This paper uses three nutrition programs for children in UK households to cast light on altruism and agency effects. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013