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How Labeling of Safety and Process Attributes Affects Markets for Food

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2016

Julie A. Caswell
Julie A. Caswell*
Affiliation:
Department of Resource Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
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Abstract

Consumers are increasingly considering information on the safety and process (how foods are produced) attributes of food in making their buying decisions. Producers, processors, and retailers may choose voluntary labeling of these attributes, may be required to label by government regulations, or may use a combination of these approaches. The market effects depend on consumer perceptions of the attributes, the benefits and costs of labeling for companies, and the goals of government policy. These effects are illustrated through a discussion of labeling of foods that are produced with the use of biotechnology (genetically modified organisms) or that are organically grown.

Information

Type
Invited Presentations
Information
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , October 1998 , pp. 151 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

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