How do consumers react in front of individual and combined sustainable food labels? A UK focus group study

Lucie Sirieix, M. Delanchy, H. Remaud and L. Zepedad

Working Papers MoISA from INRA, UMR Moïsa

Abstract: A lot of sustainable food labels are now available. They may be complementary or add to the increasing competition of product information in consumers' minds. This paper investigates (1) two focus groups consumers' perceptions about sustainable labels versus other labels, such as origin or nutrition labels, and (2) consumers' reactions to combinations of different sustainable claims or labels. Overall, findings indicate that there is interest in combining different claims into a single label. However, the results also indicate the importance of familiarity, trust and, fit between combinations of labels as well as between a label associated with a brand. While the combination of certain labels can enhance the value of a food product, this study also indicates that other label combinations can detract from a label's value. ...French Abstract : De nombreux produits alimentaires avec des labels "durables" sont proposés aujourd'hui aux consommateurs. Ils peuvent être complémentaires ou à l'opposé augmenter la concurrence entre les différents éléments d'information dans l'esprit des consommateurs. Cet article étudie les perceptions qu'ont des consommateurs interrogés lors de deux focus groups au Royaume-Uni, des labels durables par comparaison à d'autres labels (nutrition ou origine), et leur réaction à des combinaisons de messages et de labels durables. De façon générale, les résultats indiquent qu'il est utile de combiner plusieurs messages sur un même label. Cependant l'étude montre aussi l'importance de la familiarité, de la confiance, de la cohérence perçue entre labels ou entre un label et une marque associée. Certaines combinaisons peuvent en effet faire perdre de la valeur à un label durable au lieu de lui en donner.

Keywords: SUSTAINABLE FOOD; LABELS; QUALITATIVE STUDY; TRUST; FIT (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D10 D80 M31 Q01 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-mkt
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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