Information, retail channel and consumers WTP for food safety in Argentina

• Autores: Berges, Miriam; Casellas, Karina; Echeverría, Lucía; Urquiza Jozami, Gonzalo
• Año de publicación: 2018
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: documento de conferencia
• Fuente: 30 International Conference of Agricultural Economists, Vancouver [CAN], July 28-August 2, 2018.
• Materia: Preferencias del Consumidor; Seguridad Alimentaria; Atributos de Calidad; Disposición a Pagar; Carne; Modelo de Elección Discreta
• Institución: Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales

In Argentina, the incidence of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is high, with approximately 420 new cases observed each year. A strain called VTEC 0157 of Escherichia coli (E. coli) was identified as the primary cause of HUS. The retail sale of beef in Argentina is marketed mainly without labels, brands or certifications, in butchers shops that represent 75% of the market share. In the context of the Healthy Butchers program, bacteriological evaluations at butcher shops detected cross contamination of food with pathogens in beef retail environment. In this paper, we measure consumer preferences for selected food safety attributes in beef and butcher shops, taking their information and knowledge about safety into account. We use a discrete choice experiment to assess consumers WTP using primary data from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Results suggest that consumers' utility increases when there is a cashier at the butcher shop, the butcher wears gloves and uses recommended tables to cut meat, and beef products have a properly lay out at meat display fridge at consumers' sight. Consumers' knowledge and information about foodborne diseases and beef contamination risks increase the WTP for safety attributes at butcher shops. This effect is especially stronger for the last two mentioned attributes, which require a more detailed observation from consumers. Implications for food retail managers and policy-makers are discussed.
Fil: Berges, Miriam. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales; Argentina.
Fil: Casellas, Karina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Economía y Sociología; Argentina.
Fil: Echeverría, Lucía. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales; Argentina.
Fil: Urquiza Jozami, Gonzalo. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales; Argentina.