Consumer willingness to pay for reductions in the risk of food poisoning in the UK

The paper employs contingent valuation to estimate ''willingness to pay'' for reductions in the risk of food poisoning. The analysis accounts for the range of adverse health effects resulting from non-fatal cases of food poisoning as well as the risk of loss of life. A number of hypotheses regarding the value consumers attach to improvements in food safety are explored based on the results from a contingent valuation survey. Regression analysis is used to assess the factors influencing expressed ''willingness to pay'' for safer food, including demographic factors, personal experience of food poisoning and beliefs and attitudes about food-borne risk.