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The role of food quality certification on consumers' food choices

Anna Botonaki (Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece)
Konstantinos Polymeros (Department of Agriculture Animal Production and Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly, N. Ionia Magnisias, Greece)
Efthimia Tsakiridou (Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece)
Konstantinos Mattas (Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece)

British Food Journal

ISSN: 0007-070X

Article publication date: 1 February 2006

11414

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer attitudes and behavior towards organic products and products produced under the system of integrated management (SIM) and to compare the socioeconomic characteristics and attitudes that affect consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for these two different certification systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on cross‐sectional data collected through a questionnaire survey. Respondents' attitudes towards the organic and SIM certification systems are examined. A principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation was primarily applied to provide a more manageable set of variables relevant to attitudes. Those attitudes together with socioeconomic factors and variables relevant to respondents' motivations to food consumption were used for the estimation of the WTP for organic and SIM products.

Findings

Findings suggest that consumers' level of awareness and information towards the studied certification systems is rather low especially for SIM products. This can be mainly attributed to the inadequate promotion and the low availability of certified products in the Greek market. The study also reveals that the WTP for organic products is higher among consumers who place much importance on health, consume organic fruits/vegetables and get information about food/nutrition issues from doctors/nutritionists/health institutes and magazines. WTP for SIM products is affected mainly by married consumers, regular buyers of organic products and those who consume frequently fruits/vegetables.

Originality/value

This paper provides an outline of the level of awareness and trust of food quality certification systems by Greek consumers, a topic that has not been widely discussed in Greece. The findings can help all the involved bodies to avoid the impediments and develop an adequate marketing strategy for the effective promotion of certified food products.

Keywords

Citation

Botonaki, A., Polymeros, K., Tsakiridou, E. and Mattas, K. (2006), "The role of food quality certification on consumers' food choices", British Food Journal, Vol. 108 No. 2, pp. 77-90. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700610644906

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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