Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice
As an unobservable attribute, food safety is likely to be under-provided by markets where regulatory enforcement is weak. In such settings, stimulating consumer demand for safer food can potentially encourage market actors to invest in food safety. Through a randomized trial in Kenya, we test the im...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
International Association of Agricultural Economists
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141274 |
| _version_ | 1855538384994304000 |
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| author | Wairimu Kariuki, Sarah Hoffmann, Vivian |
| author_browse | Hoffmann, Vivian Wairimu Kariuki, Sarah |
| author_facet | Wairimu Kariuki, Sarah Hoffmann, Vivian |
| author_sort | Wairimu Kariuki, Sarah |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | As an unobservable attribute, food safety is likely to be under-provided by markets where regulatory enforcement is weak. In such settings, stimulating consumer demand for safer food can potentially encourage market actors to invest in food safety. Through a randomized trial in Kenya, we test the impact of informing consumers about which maize flour brands are most likely to comply with the regulatory standard for aflatoxin, a carcinogenic fungal byproduct. Providing information on safer brands alone does not significantly affect consumption behavior. However, when the same information is combined with a test performed on the maize flour stocked by the household, the likelihood that a safer brand is consumed 2 months later is 76% higher than in the comparison group. Our findings suggest that providing information on the relative riskiness of substitute foods could encourage consumers to make safer choices. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace141274 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | International Association of Agricultural Economists |
| publisherStr | International Association of Agricultural Economists |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1412742025-10-26T13:02:18Z Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice Wairimu Kariuki, Sarah Hoffmann, Vivian consumer behaviour maize food safety aflatoxins information As an unobservable attribute, food safety is likely to be under-provided by markets where regulatory enforcement is weak. In such settings, stimulating consumer demand for safer food can potentially encourage market actors to invest in food safety. Through a randomized trial in Kenya, we test the impact of informing consumers about which maize flour brands are most likely to comply with the regulatory standard for aflatoxin, a carcinogenic fungal byproduct. Providing information on safer brands alone does not significantly affect consumption behavior. However, when the same information is combined with a test performed on the maize flour stocked by the household, the likelihood that a safer brand is consumed 2 months later is 76% higher than in the comparison group. Our findings suggest that providing information on the relative riskiness of substitute foods could encourage consumers to make safer choices. 2022-05 2024-04-12T13:37:36Z 2024-04-12T13:37:36Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141274 en Open Access International Association of Agricultural Economists Wairimu Kariuki, Sarah; and Hoffmann, Vivian. 2022. Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice. Agricultural Economics 53(3): 454-467. https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.12685 |
| spellingShingle | consumer behaviour maize food safety aflatoxins information Wairimu Kariuki, Sarah Hoffmann, Vivian Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice |
| title | Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice |
| title_full | Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice |
| title_fullStr | Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice |
| title_short | Can information drive demand for safer food? Impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice |
| title_sort | can information drive demand for safer food impact of brand specific recommendations and test results on product choice |
| topic | consumer behaviour maize food safety aflatoxins information |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141274 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wairimukariukisarah caninformationdrivedemandforsaferfoodimpactofbrandspecificrecommendationsandtestresultsonproductchoice AT hoffmannvivian caninformationdrivedemandforsaferfoodimpactofbrandspecificrecommendationsandtestresultsonproductchoice |