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How Much Does It Matter How Sick You Get? Consumers' Responses to Foodborne Disease Outbreaks of Different Severities

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  • Kuchler, Fred

Abstract

Federal health and safety officials warned consumers away from cantaloupes in 2011 and again in 2012. The warnings occurred under similar market conditions but were for contamination by two different foodborne microorganisms that posed entirely different health risks. This unhappy natural experiment allows us to investigate whether consumers make food choices that account for the severity of pathogens and the associated health risks. A retail demand system for U.S. melons is estimated to account for ordinary price- and income-induced changes in demand. Remaining changes are attributed to warnings. After consumers were informed about the risk with the higher fatality rate, the demand for cantaloupes fell and consumers substituted other melons. No such shifts in demand were evident under the lower fatality risk, despite more illnesses attributed to it.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuchler, Fred, 2015. "How Much Does It Matter How Sick You Get? Consumers' Responses to Foodborne Disease Outbreaks of Different Severities," Economic Research Report 262205, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uersrr:262205
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.262205
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carlos Arnade & Fred Kuchler & Linda Calvin, 2013. "Consumers’ Response When Regulators Are Uncertain About the Source of Foodborne Illness," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 36(1), pages 17-36, March.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Page, Elina Tselepidakis, 2018. "Trends in Food Recalls: 2004-13," Economic Information Bulletin 276244, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    3. Ahearn, Mary Clare & Armbruster, Walt & Young, Robert, 2016. "Big Data's Potential to Improve Food Supply Chain Environmental Sustainability and Food Safety," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 19(A), pages 1-18, June.

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