SP B1: Consumer Preferences for Sustainable Food

An apparent phenomenon in the global agri-food system transformation is the proliferation of standards and labels. Consumer preferences may partly be influenced by standards, but, to a large extent, standards are also a policy and business response to changing consumer preferences and rising demand for food safety, quality, and process attributes with social or environmental dimensions (e.g., Fair Trade, organic, GMO-free). From an agribusiness perspective, it is important to understand consumer preferences for different attributes and how they emerge in various parts of the world, in order to appropriately tailor product differentiation, standard setting, and labeling strategies. In some cases, public policy responses may also be required. Subproject B1 assesses consumer preferences for food credence attributes and their determinants, building on stated preferences data collected through online surveys in various developed and developing countries.

Topics of doctoral research:

Global and semi-global marketing strategies for targeting 'green' consumers
Mainstreaming sustainability into modern food supply chains: private or public good characteristics and food standard development

Doctoral researchers involved:

Doctoral researchers of the first cohort:
Marie von Meyer-Höfer

Doctoral researchers of the second cohort:
Birgit Gassler
Dominic Lemken

Doctoral researchers of the third cohort:
Aspasia Werner
Sarah Iweala

Principal investigators/supervisors:
Achim Spiller