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Consumer preferences and the international harmonization of organic standards

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  • Sawyer, Erin N.
  • Kerr, William A.
  • Hobbs, Jill E.

Abstract

Harmonization of technical standards is often advocated as a means to remove technical barriers that reduce the welfare gains available from international trade. Organic standards are not currently harmonized internationally. If domestic organic standards reflect consumer tastes, and consumers have strong preferences for those standards, then harmonization to a common standard may reduce the benefits consumers receive from organic products. Through a consumer survey, conjoint analysis was used to explore the preferences of consumers in the US, the UK and Canada for organic food. The results suggest that consumers in the three countries do not have a strong attachment to the current national organic standards and that international harmonization may be a legitimate food policy goal.

Suggested Citation

  • Sawyer, Erin N. & Kerr, William A. & Hobbs, Jill E., 2008. "Consumer preferences and the international harmonization of organic standards," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 607-615, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:33:y:2008:i:6:p:607-615
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Vincent Hoang & Takao Iida & Shigeru Matsumoto & Natsuki Watanabe & Clevo Wilson, 2016. "Consumer’s comparison between local and imported organic products: a hedonic analysis of the Japanese table wine market," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 6(3), pages 405-415, December.
    2. Kerr, William A., 2012. "The EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement: What is on the Table for Agriculture?," 86th Annual Conference, April 16-18, 2012, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 135067, Agricultural Economics Society.
    3. Grübler, Julia & Reiter, Oliver, 2021. "Characterising non-tariff trade policy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 138-163.
    4. Hobbs, Jill E., 2010. "Public and Private Standards for Food Safety and Quality: International Trade Implications," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, May.
    5. Mahdi Ghodsi & Julia Grübler & Oliver Reiter & Robert Stehrer, 2017. "The Evolution of Non-Tariff Measures and their Diverse Effects on Trade," wiiw Research Reports 419, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    6. 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).
    7. Vincent Hoang & Takao Iida & Shigeru Matsumoto & Natsuki Watanabe & Clevo Wilson, 2014. "Market penetration of imported agricultural products: A hedonic analysis of the Japanese table wine market," Working Papers e083, Tokyo Center for Economic Research.
    8. Islam, Shahidul, 2013. "Marketing organic foods through conventional retail outlets," MPRA Paper 107275, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2013.

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