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Food Safety Gaps between Consumers’ Expectations and Perceptions: Development and Verification of a Gap-Assessment Tool

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  • Paohui Lin

    (Department of Business Management, National Sun Yat-sen University No. 70, Lien-Hai Rd., Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan)

  • Hsientang Tsai

    (Department of Business Management, National Sun Yat-sen University No. 70, Lien-Hai Rd., Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan)

  • Tzuya Ho

    (Business School, Shantou University, 243 Daxue Rd., Shantou 515063, Guangdong, China)

Abstract

In recent decades, food safety has become a major concern due to frequent food safety incidents in many countries. This may lead to increased health risks associated with low quality food consumption, thereby reducing consumer trust in food safety. A better understanding of consumer perceptions of food safety can improve indicators that do not meet consumer expectations. We propose a food safety gap model with four gap-construct based on consumer expectations and perceptions. The model was empirically tested through a survey of 25 items, and then assessed for gaps through the importance–performance analysis (IPA). From a sample of 697 Taiwanese consumers, we found a huge gap between consumer expectations and perceptions related to food safety. More importantly, the results of the IPA indicate that most items must be immediately improved, which is vital in order to mitigate the risk of food safety.

Suggested Citation

  • Paohui Lin & Hsientang Tsai & Tzuya Ho, 2020. "Food Safety Gaps between Consumers’ Expectations and Perceptions: Development and Verification of a Gap-Assessment Tool," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-17, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:17:p:6328-:d:406477
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhuang Zhang & You-hua Chen & Lin-hai Wu, 2021. "Effects of Governmental Intervention on Foodborne Disease Events: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Kolaj, Rezear & Borisov, Petar & Arabska, Ekaterina & Radev, Teodor, 2023. "Food safety among and beyond: the power of market actors, institutions and researchers in the new era of food safety from farm-to-table," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 9(2), June.
    3. Yuying Liu & Rubin Chen & Yufan Chen & Tinglei Yu & Xinhong Fu, 2024. "Impact of the degree of agricultural green production technology adoption on income: evidence from Sichuan citrus growers," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Yu-Ping Lee & Hsin-Yeh Tsai & Athapol Ruangkanjanases, 2020. "The Determinants for Food Safety Push Notifications on Continuance Intention in an E-Appointment System for Public Health Medical Services: The Perspectives of UTAUT and Information System Quality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, November.
    5. Hongfeng Zhang & Chengyun Sun & Lu Huang & Hongyun Si, 2021. "Does Government Intervention Ensure Food Safety? Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-22, March.

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