IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jageco/v72y2021i2p452-469.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do Consumers Really Care? An Economic Analysis of Consumer Attitudes Towards Food Produced Using Prohibited Production Methods

Author

Listed:
  • Kelvin Balcombe
  • Dylan Bradley
  • Iain Fraser

Abstract

Consumer preferences for food produced using currently prohibited production methods matter, especially in relation to potential trade deals. We conduct four discrete choice experiments examining UK consumer attitudes for food produced using several agricultural production methods currently prohibited in the UK, including chlorine washed chicken. Our results reveal negative preferences for these forms of agricultural production methods whereas EU food safety standards are highly valued. Willingness‐to‐pay estimates indicate that the positive values for food safety are frequently greater than the negative values placed on prohibited food production methods. Similarly, UK country of origin was highly valued but organic production was less valued. We discuss the implications of these results and, more generally, the use of stated preference estimates in economic modelling underpinning trade negotiations.

Suggested Citation

  • Kelvin Balcombe & Dylan Bradley & Iain Fraser, 2021. "Do Consumers Really Care? An Economic Analysis of Consumer Attitudes Towards Food Produced Using Prohibited Production Methods," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(2), pages 452-469, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jageco:v:72:y:2021:i:2:p:452-469
    DOI: 10.1111/1477-9552.12410
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12410
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1477-9552.12410?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erdem, Seda, 2018. "Who do UK consumers trust for information about nanotechnology?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 133-142.
    2. Violet Muringai & Xiaoli Fan & Ellen Goddard, 2020. "Canadian consumer acceptance of gene‐edited versus genetically modified potatoes: A choice experiment approach," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 68(1), pages 47-63, March.
    3. Scarpa, Riccardo & Rose, John M., 2008. "Design efficiency for non-market valuation with choice modelling: how to measure it, what to report and why," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 52(3), pages 1-30.
    4. Céline Carrère & Monika Mrázová & J Peter Neary, 2020. "Gravity Without Apology: the Science of Elasticities, Distance and Trade," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 130(628), pages 880-910.
    5. Bullock, David S. & Mittenzwei, Klaus & Josling, Timothy E., 2019. "Social Welfare Effects of Transparency and Misinformation in a Political Economy," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 51(3), pages 485-494, August.
    6. Byung Min Soon & Wyatt Thompson, 2019. "Nontariff measures and product differentiation: Hormone‐treated beef trade from the United States and Canada to the European Union," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 67(4), pages 363-377, December.
    7. Amanda Norris & John Cranfield, 2019. "Consumer Preferences for Country-of-Origin Labeling in Protected Markets: Evidence from the Canadian Dairy Market," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 41(3), pages 391-403.
    8. Jayson L Lusk & Jill McCluskey, 2018. "Understanding the Impacts of Food Consumer Choice and Food Policy Outcomes," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 40(1), pages 5-21.
    9. Peter Slade & Jeffrey D Michler & Anna Josephson, 2019. "Foreign Geographical Indications, Consumer Preferences, and the Domestic Market for Cheese," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 41(3), pages 370-390.
    10. Amanda Norris & John Cranfield, 2019. "Consumer Preferences for Country‐of‐Origin Labeling in Protected Markets: Evidence from the Canadian Dairy Market," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(3), pages 391-403, September.
    11. Iain Fraser & Kelvin Balcombe, 2018. "Wrapped in the Flag: Food Choice and Country of Origin Labelling," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 17(3), pages 37-42, December.
    12. Balcombe, Kelvin & Fraser, Iain & Falco, Salvatore Di, 2010. "Traffic lights and food choice: A choice experiment examining the relationship between nutritional food labels and price," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 211-220, June.
    13. Karen E. Lewis & Carola Grebitus & Gregory Colson & Wuyang Hu, 2017. "German and British Consumer Willingness to Pay for Beef Labeled with Food Safety Attributes," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(2), pages 451-470, June.
    14. Jeff Brazell & Christopher Diener & Ekaterina Karniouchina & William Moore & Válerie Séverin & Pierre-Francois Uldry, 2006. "The no-choice option and dual response choice designs," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 255-268, December.
    15. Mohamud Hussein & Iain Fraser, 2018. "Hedonic Analysis of Consumers' Valuation of Country of Origin of Meat in the United Kingdom," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(1), pages 182-198, February.
    16. Thomas Sampson, 2017. "Brexit: The Economics of International Disintegration," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 31(4), pages 163-184, Fall.
    17. Jayson Beckman & Shawn Arita, 2017. "Modeling the Interplay between Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Tariff-rate Quotas under Partial Trade Liberalization," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1078-1095.
    18. Norwood, F. Bailey & Calvo-Lorenzo, Michelle S. & Lancaster, Sarah & Oltenacu, Pascal A., 2015. "Agricultural and Food Controversies: What Everyone Needs to Know," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199368426, Decembrie.
    19. Maples, Joshua G. & Lusk, Jayson L. & Peel, Derrell S., 2019. "Technology and evolving supply chains in the beef and pork industries," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 346-354.
    20. David L Ortega & Jayson L Lusk & Wen Lin & Vincenzina Caputo, 0. "Predicting responsiveness to information: consumer acceptance of biotechnology in animal products," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 47(5), pages 1644-1667.
    21. Seda Erdem, 2015. "Consumers' Preferences for Nanotechnology in Food Packaging: A Discrete Choice Experiment," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(2), pages 259-279, June.
    22. Collins Asante‐Addo & Daniela Weible, 2020. "Is there hope for domestically produced poultry meat? A choice experiment of consumers in Ghana," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(2), pages 281-298, April.
    23. Yukichika Kawata & Masahide Watanabe, 2018. "Economic feasibility of Campylobacter†reduced chicken: Do consumers have high willingness to pay?," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 222-239, March.
    24. Neary, Peter & Carrère, Céline & Mrázová, Monika, 2020. "Gravity without Apologies: The Science of Elasticities, Distance, and Trade," CEPR Discussion Papers 14473, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    25. Tonsor, Glynn T. & Schroeder, Ted C. & Fox, John A. & Biere, Arlo W., 2005. "European Preferences for Beef Steak Attributes," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 30(2), pages 1-14, August.
    26. Brian E. Roe & Mario F. Teisl & Corin R. Deans, 2014. "The Economics of Voluntary Versus Mandatory Labels," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 6(1), pages 407-427, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Emma Beacom & Lana Repar & Joe Bogue, 2022. "Consumer motivations and desired product attributes for 2.0 plant-based products: a conceptual model of consumer insight for market-oriented product development and marketing," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(8), pages 1-27, August.
    2. Vo Hong Tu & Steven W. Kopp & Nguyen Thuy Trang & Andreas Kontoleon & Mitsuyasu Yabe, 2021. "UK Consumers’ Preferences for Ethical Attributes of Floating Rice: Implications for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-27, July.
    3. Balcombe, Kelvin & Bradley, Dylan & Fraser, Iain, 2022. "Consumer preferences for chlorine-washed chicken, attitudes to Brexit and implications for future trade agreements," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    4. Kelvin Balcombe & Dylan Bradley & Iain Fraser, 2021. "Consumer Preferences for Chlorine Washed Chicken, Attitudes to Brexit and Trade Agreements," Studies in Economics 2112, School of Economics, University of Kent.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kelvin Balcombe & Dylan Bradley & Iain Fraser, 2020. "The Economic Analysis of Consumer Attitudes Towards Food Produced Using Prohibited Production Methods: Do Consumers Really Care?," Studies in Economics 2004, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    2. Balcombe, Kelvin & Bradley, Dylan & Fraser, Iain, 2022. "Consumer preferences for chlorine-washed chicken, attitudes to Brexit and implications for future trade agreements," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    3. Aaron M. Shew & Heather A. Snell & Rodolfo M. Nayga & Mary C. Lacity, 2022. "Consumer valuation of blockchain traceability for beef in the United States," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(1), pages 299-323, March.
    4. Yuko Akune & Nobuhiro Hosoe, 2021. "Microdata analysis of Japanese farmers’ productivity: Estimating farm heterogeneity and elasticity of substitution among varieties," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(4), pages 633-644, July.
    5. Kelvin Balcombe & Dylan Bradley & Iain Fraser, 2021. "Consumer Preferences for Chlorine Washed Chicken, Attitudes to Brexit and Trade Agreements," Studies in Economics 2112, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    6. Lin Bai & Zhanguo Zhu & Tong Zhang, 2021. "How to Improve Food Quality in the Domestic Market: The Role of “Same Line Same Standard Same Quality”—Evidence from a Consumer Choice Experiment in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-16, May.
    7. Gang Chen & Xue Dong & Patrick Minford & Guanhua Qiu & Yongdeng Xu & Zequn Xu, 2022. "Computable General Equilibrium Models of Trade in the Modern Trade Policy Debate," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 271-309, April.
    8. Irz, Xavier & Mazzocchi, Mario & Réquillart, Vincent & Soler, Louis-Georges, 2015. "Research in Food Economics: past trends and new challenges," Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et Environnement, Editions NecPlus, vol. 96(01), pages 187-237, March.
    9. Fontagné, Lionel & Guimbard, Houssein & Orefice, Gianluca, 2022. "Tariff-based product-level trade elasticities," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    10. Natalie Chen & Dennis Novy, 2022. "Gravity and Heterogeneous Trade Cost Elasticities," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 132(644), pages 1349-1377.
    11. Kassas, Bachir & Cao, Xiang & Gao, Zhifeng & House, Lisa A. & Guan, Zhengfei, 2023. "Consumer preferences for country of origin labeling: Bridging the gap between research estimates and real-world behavior," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    12. S. Marette & L. Nabec & F. Durieux, 2019. "Improving Nutritional Quality of Consumers’ Food Purchases With Traffic-Lights Labels: An Experimental Analysis," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 377-395, September.
    13. Peter Egger & Reto Foellmi & Ulrich Schetter & David Torun, 2023. "Gravity with History: On Incumbency Effects in International Trade," CID Working Papers 153a, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    14. Kofi Britwum & Amalia Yiannaka, 2019. "Labeling food safety attributes: to inform or not to inform?," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-21, December.
    15. Alessandro Nicita & Enxhi Tresa, 2022. "Trade policy and trade resilience during the 2020 trade downturn," UNCTAD Working Papers #1, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    16. Wen Lin, 2023. "The effect of product quantity on willingness to pay: A meta‐regression analysis of beef valuation studies," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(3), pages 646-663, July.
    17. Kilders, Valerie & Lineback, Caitlinn & Malone, Trey & Caputo, Vincenzina & McKendree, Melissa G.S., 2022. "The Tart Cherry Market and Purchasing Preferences in the United States," Staff Paper Series 317810, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    18. Bernhard Schuetz, 2022. "Investment booms, diverging competitiveness and wage growth within a monetary union: An AB-SFC model," ICAE Working Papers 138, Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy.
    19. Minford, Patrick & Xu, Yongdeng & Dong, Xue, 2023. "Testing competing world trade models against the facts of world trade," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    20. Yoto V. Yotov, 2022. "Gravity at Sixty: The Workhorse Model of Trade," CESifo Working Paper Series 9584, CESifo.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:jageco:v:72:y:2021:i:2:p:452-469. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0021-857X .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.