IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/agfoec/v13y2025i1d10.1186_s40100-025-00347-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring consumer preferences and policy implications in local food systems: Does taste or labeling matter in honey?

Author

Listed:
  • Belinda Lopéz-Galán

    (Academia General Militar)

  • Tiziana de-Magistris

    (Agri-Food and Technological Center of Aragón (CITA)
    Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (CITA- Universidad de Zaragoza))

Abstract

This study analyses the influence of geographical origin and taste on honey consumer behavior. First, we explore the influence of geographical origin on consumers’ hedonic evaluation of honey. We then assess the influence of geographical origin and taste on their willingness to pay (WTP) for honey. We conducted a field experiment at a real supermarket. The participants were exposed to two treatments (blind and informed treatment). The findings showed that knowledge about the geographical origin of honey influences consumers’ hedonic evaluations and that the WTP for honey is more strongly influenced by geographical origin than by taste.

Suggested Citation

  • Belinda Lopéz-Galán & Tiziana de-Magistris, 2025. "Exploring consumer preferences and policy implications in local food systems: Does taste or labeling matter in honey?," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agfoec:v:13:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1186_s40100-025-00347-9
    DOI: 10.1186/s40100-025-00347-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s40100-025-00347-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s40100-025-00347-9?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. Dobbs, Leah Moore & Jensen, Kimberly L. & Leffew, Megan Bruch & English, Burton C. & Lambert, Dayton M. & Clark, Christopher D., 2016. "Consumer Willingness to Pay for Tennessee Beef," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 47(2), pages 1-24, July.
    2. Marco Costanigro & Dawn Thilmany McFadden & Stephan Kroll & Gretchen Nurse, 2011. "An in‐store valuation of local and organic apples: the role of social desirability," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 465-477, September.
    3. Chenyi He & Ruifeng Liu & Zhifeng Gao & Xin Zhao & Charles A. Sims & Rodolfo M. Nayga, 2021. "Does local label bias consumer taste buds and preference? Evidence of a strawberry sensory experiment," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(3), pages 550-568, July.
    4. Petjon Ballco & Fatma Jaafer & Tiziana de Magistris, 2022. "Investigating the price effects of honey quality attributes in a European country: Evidence from a hedonic price approach," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(4), pages 885-904, October.
    5. Del Giudice, Teresa & Cavallo, Carla & Vecchio, Riccardo, 2018. "Credence Attributes, Consumers Trust and Sensory Expectations in Modern Food Market: Is there a Need to Redefine their Role?," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 9(4), August.
    6. Jernej Prišenk & Aleksander Itskovich & Jernej Turk, 2020. "An Overlook of the Economic Benefits of Value-Based Food Chains to Maintain Farms Operating in Less Favoured Areas," Cooperative Management, in: Konstantinos Mattas & Henk Kievit & Gert van Dijk & George Baourakis & Constantin Zopounidis (ed.), Sustainable Food Chains and Ecosystems, chapter 0, pages 49-61, Springer.
    7. Karen Blumenschein & Glenn C. Blomquist & Magnus Johannesson & Nancy Horn & Patricia Freeman, 2008. "Eliciting Willingness to Pay Without Bias: Evidence from a Field Experiment," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(525), pages 114-137, January.
    8. Hudson, Darren & Gallardo, Rosa Karina & Hanson, Terrill R., 2012. "A Comparison Of Choice Experiments And Actual Grocery Store Behavior: An Empirical Application To Seafood Products," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 44(01), pages 1-14, February.
    9. Katharina Bissinger & Roland Herrmann, 2021. "Regional Origin Outperforms All Other Sustainability Characteristics in Consumer Price Premiums for Honey: Empirical Evidence for Germany," Journal of Economic Integration, Center for Economic Integration, Sejong University, vol. 36(1), pages 162-184.
    10. Enthoven, Laura & Van den Broeck, Goedele, 2021. "Local food systems: Reviewing two decades of research," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Fifer, Simon & Rose, John M., 2016. "Can you ever be certain? Reducing hypothetical bias in stated choice experiments via respondent reported choice certaintyAuthor-Name: Beck, Matthew J," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 149-167.
    2. Wuepper, David & Clemm, Alexandra & Wree, Philipp, 2019. "The preference for sustainable coffee and a new approach for dealing with hypothetical bias," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 475-486.
    3. Iryna Printezis & Carola Grebitus & Stefan Hirsch, 2019. "The price is right!? A meta-regression analysis on willingness to pay for local food," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-23, May.
    4. Yiwen Yang & PingSun Leung & Chu‐wei Tseng, 2022. "Price premium or price discount for locally produced food products? A 5W1H approach in meta‐analysis," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(6), pages 2261-2274, September.
    5. Frondel Manuel & Kutzschbauch Ole & Sommer Stephan & Traub Stefan, 2017. "Die Gerechtigkeitslücke in der Verteilung der Kosten der Energiewende auf die privaten Haushalte," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 18(4), pages 335-347, November.
    6. Wiktor Adamowicz & Mark Dickie & Shelby Gerking & Marcella Veronesi & David Zinner, 2014. "Household Decision Making and Valuation of Environmental Health Risks to Parents and Their Children," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 1(4), pages 481-519.
    7. Frode Alfnes & Chengyan Yue & Helen H. Jensen, 2010. "Cognitive dissonance as a means of reducing hypothetical bias," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 37(2), pages 147-163, June.
    8. Blomquist, Glenn C. & Coomes, Paul A. & Jepsen, Christopher & Koford, Brandon C. & Troske, Kenneth R., 2014. "Estimating the social value of higher education: willingness to pay for community and technical colleges," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(1), pages 3-41, January.
    9. Adrián Csordás & Péter Lengyel & István Füzesi, 2022. "Who Prefers Regional Products? A Systematic Literature Review of Consumer Characteristics and Attitudes in Short Food Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-17, July.
    10. Datta, Nikhil, 2019. "Willing to pay for security: a discrete choice experiment to analyse labour supply preferences," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103390, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Bayham, Jude & Muñoz-García, Félix & Espínola-Arredondo, Ana, 2019. "International coordination of environmental policies: is it always worth the effort?," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(3), pages 294-316, June.
    12. Henrik Andersson & James Hammitt & Gunnar Lindberg & Kristian Sundström, 2013. "Erratum to: Willingness to Pay and Sensitivity to Time Framing: A Theoretical Analysis and an Application on Car Safety," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 56(3), pages 457-457, November.
    13. Horvath, Camille & Koning, Martin & Raton, Gwenaëlle & Combes, François, 2024. "Short food supply chains: The influence of outlet and accessibility on farmer and consumer preferences. Two discrete choice experiments," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    14. Nicolas Jacquemet & Alexander James & Stéphane Luchini & Jason Shogren, 2011. "Social Psychology and Environmental Economics: A New Look at ex ante Corrections of Biased Preference Evaluation," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 48(3), pages 413-433, March.
    15. Francesco Bimbo & Kristi Nico & Emilio De Meo, 2025. "Assessing the Quality and Floral Variety Market Value: A Hedonic Price Model for Honey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-16, April.
    16. Coisnon, Thomas & Rousselière, Damien & Rousselière, Samira, 2018. "Information on biodiversity and environmental behaviors: a European study of individual and institutional drivers to adopt sustainable gardening practices," Working Papers 272611, Institut National de la recherche Agronomique (INRA), Departement Sciences Sociales, Agriculture et Alimentation, Espace et Environnement (SAE2).
    17. Alessandro Bonadonna & Stefano Duglio & Luigi Bollani & Giovanni Peira, 2022. "Mountain Food Products: A Cluster Analysis Based on Young Consumers’ Perceptions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-14, September.
    18. Douadia Bougherara & Sandrine Costa & Mario Teisl, 2013. "Making or Buying Environmental Public Goods: Do Consumers Care?," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 89(4), pages 767-781.
    19. Wang, Haoluan & Swallow, Brent M., 2017. "Linking Agricultural Land Conservation and Provision of Ecosystem Services: A Choice Experiment Approach," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258537, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    20. Higuchi, Yuki & Nam, Vu Hoang & Sonobe, Tetsushi, 2015. "Sustained impacts of Kaizen training," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 189-206.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:spr:agfoec:v:13:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1186_s40100-025-00347-9. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.