Cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay as affected by information about organic production

F. Napolitano^1*, A. Braghieri¹, E. Piasentier², S. Favotto², S. Naspetti³ and R. Zanoli³

Abstract
The present study aimed to assess the effect of information about organic production on Pecorino cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay.

Mean scores of perceived liking were similar for organic cheese (OC) and conventional cheese (CC). Expected liking scores were higher for OC than for CC (P<0·001). For OC the expected liking was significantly higher (P<0·001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (negative disconfirmation), whereas for CC the expected liking was significantly lower (P<0·001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (positive disconfirmation).

Consumers assimilated their liking for OC in the direction of expectations, as the difference actual vs. perceived liking was significant (P<0·001). However the assimilation was not complete, as also the difference actual liking vs. expected liking was significant (P<0·001).

Consumers showed a willingness to pay OC (mean±se=4·20±0·13 €/100 g) higher than the local retail price for conventional (1·90 €/100 g) and even organic cheese (3·00 €/100 g).

We conclude that the information about organic farming can be a major determinant of cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay, thus providing a potential tool for product differentiation, particularly for small scale and traditional farms.


Source
Journal of Dairy Research (2010) 77: 280-286
DOI 10.1017/S0022029910000130


Author Locations and Affiliations
(1) Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano 10 – 85100 Potenza, Italy
(2) Dipartimento di Scienze animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Via S. Mauro 2 – 33010 Udine, Italy
(3) DIIGA, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche – 60131 Ancona, Italy
* Corresponding author, E-mail fabio.napolitano@unibas.it


Posted July 2010