MEASURING FOOD SAFETY PREFERENCES: IDENTIFYING CONSUMER SEGMENTS

Conjoint analysis was used to estimate individual preference functions for food safety attributes. Consumer segments were constructed by using cluster analysis to form groups which were homogeneous with respect to preferences regarding food safety. Although substantial differences existed among the three distinct groups, consumers in all segments were willing to pay a moderate amount to ensure that apples met established safety standards. However, a policy which restricts pesticide use would likely result in substantial consumer dissatisfaction, unless it could be achieved with little impact on price or quality.