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Differentiating “Sustainable” From “Organic” And “Local” Food Choices: Does Information About Certification Criteria Help Consumers?

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  • Sackett, Hillary
  • Shupp, Robert
  • Tonsor, Glynn

Abstract

his paper seeks to estimate the effect of different certification claims on consumer preferences for food labeled as “sustainable”, “organic”, or “local”. The first phase of analysis estimates the effect of information provision about detailed certification standards on choice over eco-labeled food products. The second phase estimates the marginal effect of certification level on the probability of choosing a product with a given label. Finally, the third phase of analysis compares willingness to pay for each eco-label, providing insight into perceived value trade-offs. Results suggest weak differentiation between labels but potential for capturing price premiums with government-backed certification claims

Suggested Citation

  • Sackett, Hillary & Shupp, Robert & Tonsor, Glynn, 2016. "Differentiating “Sustainable” From “Organic” And “Local” Food Choices: Does Information About Certification Criteria Help Consumers?," International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics (IJFAEC), Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Department of Economics and Finance, vol. 4(3), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ijfaec:244284
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.244284
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Gumirakiza, Jean Dominique & VanZee, Sarah, 2018. "The Most Important Food Labels among Online Shoppers when Shopping for Fresh Produce," 2018 Annual Meeting, February 2-6, 2018, Jacksonville, Florida 266683, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    3. Drichoutis, Andreas C. & Cerjak, Marija & Kovačić, Damir & Juračak, Josip, 2024. "To be(tween) or not to be(tween)? Combining between- and within-subjects design characteristics in preference elicitation for organic and local apples," MPRA Paper 120880, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Ching‐Hua Yeh & Stefan Hirsch, 2023. "A meta‐regression analysis on the willingness‐to‐pay for country‐of‐origin labelling," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(3), pages 719-743, September.
    5. 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.

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