Seafood Safety Perceptions and Their Effects on Anticipated Consumption under Varying Information Treatments

Abstract

This paper identifies factors that influence consumers' seafood safety perceptions and examines how these perceptions affect consumers' anticipated consumption when consumers are provided with additional information relevant to seafood. A recursive system of equations is specified describing consumers' safety perceptions as a function of past experience with seafood, recreational harvest activities, and risk-taking behavior, and describing the influence of safety perceptions on consumers' anticipated demand response to hypothetical information concerning seafood. A telephone survey of randomly selected Rhode Island consumers provided data for the analysis.

Chinese consumers’ willingness to pay for green- and eco-labeled seafood

“…These influential factors include: 1) illness associated with previous consumption; 2) exposure to negative publicity about oysters (Wessells, Kline, & Anderson, 1996); and 3) demographics such as age and education (Lin, Milon, & Babb, 1991). According to previous studies, consumers believe they are able to identify safe sea mussels; however, they are willing to pay a high premium for information certifying safer products in order to avoid the high risk associated with eating unsafe mussels (Brooks, 1992;Celsi, Rose, & Leigh, 1993).…”

“…According to previous studies, consumers believe they are able to identify safe sea mussels; however, they are willing to pay a high premium for information certifying safer products in order to avoid the high risk associated with eating unsafe mussels (Brooks, 1992;Celsi, Rose, & Leigh, 1993). In another study, Wessells et al (1996) found labeling greatly impacts the food choices of those who were unconfident in their knowledge about the safety of seafood.…”

“…Thus, it is assumed supermarkets facilitate easier information access which reduces search costs. Seafood consumption literature suggests information can be obtained by using the product, a so-called experience attribute (Lin et al, 1991;Wessells et al, 1996). In these studies, experience is defined as the frequency of previous purchases.…”

Risk perception and consumer willingness to pay for certified beef in Spain

“…Moreover, policy makers have reinforced controls and strengthened the role of food safety agencies. Partly due to these changes, many authors in recent years have started to analyse consumers' increasing concerns about food safety and its effect on food choices (Wessells et al, 1996;Cowan, 1998;Verbeke andViaene, 1999, 2001;Porin and Mainsant, 1998;Henson and Northen, 2000, among others).…”

Food Safety and Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Labelled Beef in Spain

“…Some authors have designed "ad hoc" surveys to evaluate to what extent consumers took into account food safety issues when making food choices (Wessells et al, 1996;Cowan, 1998;Verbeke andViaene, 1999, 2001;Porin and Mainsant, 1998;Henson and Northen, 2000, among others).…”