Consumers’ Perception and Willingness to Pay for Eco-Labeled Seafood in Italian Hypermarkets

Sergio Vitale, Federica Biondo, Cristina Giosuè, Gioacchino Bono, Charles Odilichukwu R. Okpala, Ignazio Piazza, Mario Sprovieri and Vito Pipitone
Additional contact information
Sergio Vitale: Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 91026 Mazara del Vallo, Italy
Federica Biondo: Department of Economics, Business and Statistics, University of Palermo, 90100 Palermo, Italy
Cristina Giosuè: Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in Marine Environment (IAS), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 90100 Palermo, Italy
Gioacchino Bono: Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 91026 Mazara del Vallo, Italy
Charles Odilichukwu R. Okpala: Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
Ignazio Piazza: Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in Marine Environment (IAS), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 91021 Capo Granitola, Italy
Mario Sprovieri: Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in Marine Environment (IAS), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 91021 Capo Granitola, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to discuss eco-labels for fish products, which are a useful tool to improve both seafood markets and strategies for sustainability management. In this study, 560 consumer-surveys were conducted in selected towns in northern and southern Italy. Both probit and linear regression modeling were used to measure consumers’ perception and willingness to pay for anchovy eco-labels. Italian hypermarket consumers demonstrated attention to environmental features as well as to eco-products, at times, independent of income. The results of this study show that willingness to pay relates to gender, family situation, mass communication, environmental features, angler community, and store, along with information from eco-labels. Specifically, females appeared highly responsive to seafood eco-labels, and their preferences were informed by environmental aspects along with a strong intrinsic motivation to protect marine habitats. According to our analysis, seafood eco-labels could increase the consumers’ willingness to pay between 16%–24% more for the product. Given that consumers’ willingness to pay can reveal a new form of an “ecosystem approach to fishery management”, there is a high chance that premium prices could become a tool for sustainable resource management.

Keywords: awareness; price premium; European anchovy; Mediterranean Sea (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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