Impact of food safety certification and certification bodies on purchasing decisions of Lebanese consumers -

Abstract

As food safety scandals increase and consumers’ awareness on the subject grows, understanding consumers’ purchasing decision for safer food is of high importance for both providers and receivers of such benefits. While asymmetric information leads to market failure, considering consumers’ trust in certification source is important for a deeper understanding of faced concerns. As previous studies show Lebanese consumers’ interest in certified food, the impact of food safety certification and certification bodies on consumers’ purchasing decision is tested using latent class model. Information provision on risk reduction and consumers’ trust in certification bodies are investigated in this study. The results from this study show that Lebanese consumers in general value international and, surprisingly, upgraded MoPH certification over locally sourced certifications schemes. When presented with information regarding quantitative risk reduction effected by the various certification schemes, consumers are able better to comprehend the importance and impact of food safety certification on their food consumption and health, resulting in more realistic WTP estimates.