Consumer willingness to pay for food safety: Results from a survey on peaches

The objective of this study is to evaluate consumer willingness to pay for a brand that guarantees peaches produced by integrated pest management techniques. Contingent evaluation has been applied to a survey of consumers at the retail level. The econometric model of contingent evaluation shows the significant impact of socioeconomic variables and consumer food style with respect to product characteristics. In other words, the variables affecting perception are more important than actual characteristics of product in determining its added value. Indeed, consumers are more willing to penalize unbranded peaches than to pay for a branded and guaranteed product. Consequently, a brand to guarantee food safety in peaches is not sufficient to increase added value, but it is important in keeping market share.