Consumer Preferences for Socially Responsible Production Attributes Across Food Products

This study examines consumer preferences for three socially responsible products: minimal-pesticide strawberries, fair-trade bananas, and milk from pasture-fed cows. In-person survey data were collected in four states. Understanding preferences for these characteristics is difficult because they may appeal to different individuals depending on their personal attitudes and values. To address this issue, health, environmental and other attitudes are measured based on survey questions. Responses to these questions are used to produce explanatory factor scores. Stated preference models, both with and without factor scores, are estimated to evaluate the relative strengths of consumer preferences and motivations to purchase these products