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Retail channel and consumer demand for food quality in China

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  • Ortega, David L.
  • Wang, H. Holly
  • Wu, Laping
  • Hong, Soo Jeong

Abstract

In the wake of the supermarket revolution, consumer concerns over food safety in China have resulted in an accelerated change towards the procurement of food products from modern retail channels. We employ discrete choice experiments to assess consumer preferences for food quality attributes across various retail channels using primary data from Beijing, China. Results suggest that consumer willingness to pay for food safety is retail channel invariant, while preferences for organic and Green Food certification are product and retail channel specific. We find evidence of emerging consumer preferences for animal welfare attributes. Implications for food retail managers and agribusinesses are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Ortega, David L. & Wang, H. Holly & Wu, Laping & Hong, Soo Jeong, 2015. "Retail channel and consumer demand for food quality in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 359-366.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:36:y:2015:i:c:p:359-366
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2015.04.005
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    4. Vardges Hovhannisyan & Sachintha Mendis & Chris Bastian, 2019. "An econometric analysis of demand for food quantity and quality in urban China," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 50(1), pages 3-13, January.
    5. Chen, Junhong & Ortega, David L. & Wang, Hong Holly, 2018. "Does Animal Welfare Matter to Consumers in Emerging Countries? Evidence from China," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274069, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Lita Alita & Liesbeth Dries & Peter Oosterveer, 2021. "Improving Vegetable Safety in China: Does Co-Regulation Work?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-16, March.
    7. Ortega, David L. & Chen, Maolong & Wang, H. Holly & Shimokawa, Satoru, 2017. "Emerging Markets for U.S. Pork in China: Experimental Evidence from Mainland and Hong Kong Consumers," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 42(2), May.
    8. Latino, Maria Elena & Menegoli, Marta & Lazoi, Mariangela & Corallo, Angelo, 2022. "Voluntary traceability in food supply chain: a framework leading its implementation in Agriculture 4.0," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    9. Qingyin Cai & Yulian Ding & Calum Tuvey & Yuehua Zhang, 2021. "The influence of past experience on farmers’ preferences for hog insurance products: a natural experiment and choice experiment in China," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 46(3), pages 399-421, July.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Food Safety; Organic; Green Food; Animal Welfare; Willingness to Pay;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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