Consumer attitudes towards attributes in food products in the UK, Korea, Japan, China and Indonesia and their impact on the EU and New Zealand

Abstract

Understanding international consumer attitudes and preferences towards food is important for countries like New Zealand that are heavily dependent on food exports. Moreover, the focus of NZ exporters has evolved from almost all exports going to Europe, to more going to Asian markets, in particular to China. It is important that different cultures and preferences in these markets are considered and understood. This paper presents results from a pilot survey in six countries (UK, Korea, Japan, India, China and Indonesia) assessing how consumers in international markets respond to different attributes in food products. The results highlight the importance of food safety and health foods in these markets. Overall, emerging countries valued attributes more than developed countries. This included environmental quality in food which was also seen as key for underpinning food safety. In addition, the study examined the potential impact of different ranges of premiums for credence attributes in food on the agricultural sectors of the EU (European Union-28) and New Zealand using the partial equilibrium Lincoln Trade and Environment Model (LTEM). Trade model projections showed that the potential impact on the EU and New Zealand agricultural sectors was important.