20 pages., Online via UI e-subscription, This article centered on the representation of food additives as a matter of key importance to the public's conceptualization of them. Findings from a systematic qualitative study of the magazines of two Belgian consumer organizations revealed that additives were seen as providing no benefits to consumers, for they could be used to reduce the quality of both the ingredients and the production process. They were perceived as a means of deceiving the public, with portrayal of consumers as powerless in the struggle for control over the types and amounts of additives they ingested. In turn, the limitations were seen as a failure of government and scientific institutions to provide the necessary protection.
Online from publication. 3 oages,, Sponsored article summarizes IRI survey data on seasonality of potato sales, purchase levels, and shopper responses to several display strategies.
24 pages, Alternative food networks (AFN) are argued to provide platforms to re-socialize and re-spacealize food, establish and contribute to democratic participation in local food chains, and foster producer–consumer relations and trust. As one of the most recent examples of AFN, Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) have gained notable traction in attempting to redefine consumer-producer relations in the organic value chain. The participation of stakeholders, such as consumers, has been a key element theoretically differentiating PGS from other organic verification systems. While research on farmer participation in PGS is attracting interest, consumer participation is still widely overlooked. Using a mixed methods approach, this paper describes five PGS markets in Mexico, Chile and Bolivia. A survey was conducted with consumers in the PGS markets to explore their awareness of the PGS, how consumers participate in the PGS, and their level of trust in the respective PGS and its certified products. Results showed a low level of awareness of PGS among market consumers, few participation possibilities, and minimal consumer participation overall. Nevertheless, trust in organic quality was generally high. Consumers primarily relied on the direct relationship with producers and the PGS market itself as sources of trust. These results provide novel insight into PGS consumer-market interactions, and contribute to discussions concerning social embeddedness, awareness and participation within AFN.
25 pages, We examine consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for foods packaged using active packaging which can be used to improve quality, shelf life, or safety of a range of products, potentially reducing the use of food additives (preservatives) and food waste. We administer an experimental survey of US food consumers (n = 2325) with five treatments. The surveys include contingent valuation exercises to assess consumer WTP for six products in active packaging relative to conventional packaging. We find that consumer acceptance of this technology is dependent on the product packaged and related directly to the specific relative benefit. In addition, consumer WTP is impacted by the framing of the technology in relation to other available technologies, information about the developer of the technology, and the degree of specificity of information regarding benefits. Notably, impacts of framing and use cases are primarily apparent among those who are resistant to the technology. A cluster analysis finds that those more likely to resist the technology include households that are lower income, less educated, and more likely to be white [EconLit citations: Q18, M31, D12, D83].
Online from periodical. 2 pages., Results of BrickMeetsClick/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey indicated that roughly 37.5 million U.S. households (29%) used online grocery services in the month of August. That number represents a 133% increase from a year ago. "These results reinforce that grocery delivery and pickup services will continue to play an important role for both shoppers and retailers going forward."
Online from periodical. 3 pages., Article reports observations from several marketers of potatoes. One marketing director observed, "We anticipate consumers will still maintain their shift to eating at home even when we approach a new normal."
Online from publication. 2 pages., Author reported on a presentation at the West Coast Produce Exposition. The speaker observed, "I think we've got a wild ride for the foreseeable future here, and noted that consumers will continue to order groceries online, and the "click and collect" model may have staing power through the crisis and beyond."
