Consumers' attitudes towards microbial applications in food production: Consumer willingness to pay for plant-based foods produced using microbial applications to replace synthetic chemical inputs

The data was collected using an online survey as part of the research activities of the European Horizon 2020 project SIMBA (Sustainable Innovation of Microbiome Applications in the Food System). Online surveys were used to collect consumer respondent data for three food products (wheat bread, consumer potatoes and tomato sauce). These food products were selected as part of the EU Horizon 2020 SIMBA project for reflecting the diversity of food value chains in terms of organisation, technology, climatic conditions and consumption patterns across the EU. Three questionnaires corresponding to the three food products were prepared. The questionnaires consisted of four main parts: (1) socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. gender, education, income; Part One), (2) health and environmental concerns related to chemical use in farming, knowledge about microbial applications, perceived microbial health risks and attitude towards microbial applications in food production (Part Two), (3) questions for eliciting a consumer’s willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a food product that had been obtained through a microbial-enhanced production system with reduced or no chemical use (Part Three), and (4) questions for eliciting a respondent’s food choice motives (FCMs) using de Boer et al.’s (2007) FCM questionnaire (Part Four). In addition, the questionnaire had an introduction section containing information sheet about the study and a consent form. The consent form and the information sheet for safeguarding the ethical aspects of this study (e.g. data handling, privacy and potential risks to respondents) were approved by the General Assembly of the SIMBA project as well as the Social Sciences Ethics Committee of Wageningen University prior to distributing the surveys. We collected data primarily from three countries: Germany, Italy and Netherlands. The data was collected to undertake a study to support the uptake of food products that are produced and/or processed using microbial applications. The aim of the survey was to get some insights about food choice motives of consumers, and the socio-demographic and behavioural factors influencing their food choices. The survey specifically aimed to assess the preferences and perceptions, and willingness-to-pay of consumers to wheat, potato and tomato-based food products that are produced and/or processed using microbial applications