Market differentiation potential of country-of-origin, quality and traceability labeling

Product labeling has gained considerable attention recently, as a means to both provide product-specific information and reduce quality uncertainty faced by consumers, as well as from a regulatory point of view. This article focuses on whether and to what extent origin, quality and traceability labeling is an appropriate way to differentiate food products. The focus is on fresh meat and fresh fish, two mainly generic food product categories with a high degree of credence character. Insights into the potential for market differentiation through origin, quality and traceability labeling are provided and discussed using primary data collected during the period 2000-2005 by means of four consumer surveys. In general, direct indications of quality, including mandatory information cues such as best-before dates and species names, but also including quality marks, are found to be more appealing to consumers in general than origin labeling, and the latter more than traceability. The different studies yield the conclusion that the market differentiation potential of origin and quality labeling pertains mainly to a product’s healthiness appeal, and this potential seems stronger for meat than for fish. The differentiation potential of traceability per se is rather limited. Instead, traceability is needed as the regulatory and logistic backbone for providing guarantees related to origin and quality

Market Differentiation Potential of Country-of-origin, Quality and Traceability Labeling

Product labeling has gained considerable attention recently, as a means to both provide product-specific information and reduce quality uncertainty faced by consumers, as well as from a regulatory point of view. This article focuses on whether and to what extent origin, quality and traceability labeling is an appropriate way to differentiate food products. The focus is on fresh meat and fresh fish, two mainly generic food product categories with a high degree of credence character. Insights into the potential for market differentiation through origin, quality and traceability labeling are provided and discussed using primary data collected during the period 2000-2005 by means of four consumer surveys. In general, direct indications of quality, including mandatory information cues such as best-before dates and species names, but also including quality marks, are found to be more appealing to consumers in general than origin labeling, and the latter more than traceability. The different studies yield the conclusion that the market differentiation potential of origin and quality labeling pertains mainly to a product’s healthiness appeal, and this potential seems stronger for meat than for fish. The differentiation potential of traceability per se is rather limited. Instead, traceability is needed as the regulatory and logistic backbone for providing guarantees related to origin and quality.consumer, country of origin, labeling, quality, traceability, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Relations/Trade,

Consumer Interest and Marketing Potential of Information on Fish Labels

Food labels are an important source of information to consumers. However, little scientific evidence is available on the type of information consumers seek on product labels and how consumers use food labels. The objective of this study is to assess consumers’ use of mandatory information cues and interest in potential information cues placed on fish labels, packages or shelves in five European countries. A cross-sectional consumer survey was carried out in November-December 2004 in five European countries: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain and a sample representative for age and region within each country has been obtained. Total sample size is 4,786. The results show a high use of on-label information cues; hence, labels were found as good, and potentially market effective sources of information. Consumers were most familiar with expiry date, price, species name and weight and they felt able to derive clear quality expectations from the information these cues convey. Consumers displayed the strongest interest in an additional information cues, such as safety guarantee and a quality mark for seafood. Cross-country differences in both use and interest in fish information cues were observed.consumer, fish, label, Consumer/Household Economics, Marketing,

European consumers' interest in nutrition information on (sugar-free) chewing gum

Much consumer and public health research into nutrition labelling has explored the effects of information provision on consumer behaviour and how it can help consumers in making informed food choices. Among other things, it has been shown that European consumers' interest in and use of nutrition information varies greatly across country and product category. Chewing gum represents an understudied product category where little is known about whether consumers are interested in and would use nutrition information, let alone where they might want to access it due to small pack sizes limiting the space available to provide the information. The present study investigates European consumers (n = 3500) in seven countries and shows that while overall interest in nutrition information on chewing gum is relatively low, considerable differences can be observed with regards to users of regular versus sugar-free chewing gum, as well as with regards to low/medium versus heavy users. Sugar-free chewing gum users are more interested in general as well as specific nutrition information that is relevant for chewing gum, compared to regular chewing gum users. And low and medium user groups have a better awareness of which nutrients are relevant for chewing gum, compared to heavy users who appear less concerned about nutrition and health. The results provide insights into European consumers' attitudes towards nutrition information for chewing gum, and alternative sources of such information provision as pack size is a limiting factor in regards to this product