February 15-18, 2009 Washington State Convention Center Seattle ...

CONSUMER SAFETY ASSESSMENTS FOR CULTURED SPECIES AT UNBRANDED
MARKETS
José Fernández-Polanco, Ladislao Luna and José Luis Fernández Sánchez
Research Group in Economic Management for Sustainable Development of the Primary Sector
University of Cantabria
Av. de los Castros
s.n. 39005 Santander, Spain
polancoj@unican.es
lunal@unican.es
fernandezjl@unican.es
1. Introduction
Brands and other identifications are common extrinsic cues used by consumers to assess quality of purchased foods. Effects on
food purchase decisions have been proven in the seafood literature (Wessells & Anderson, 1995; Wessells et al., 1999). Safety
has been treated as an aspect of the perceived quality in food, so branding also contributes to assure it. This paper studies factors
affecting consumer safety assessments when there are no brands to use as cues, as happens in the Spanish markets with most
aquaculture species. Alternative sources of information are tested as causes of variations in the safety scores of three cultured
marine species.
2. Methodology
A perceived safety index is computed from the scores provided by cultured sea bream, sea bass and turbot consumers, extracted
from a sample of 3.200 Spanish seafood consumers conducted in November 2005. Lickert scales relating to consumer beliefs
about aquaculture, official generic advertising campaigns credibility and importance of shop and seller in the food choice decisions
were answered by a total of 220 respondents. Scales linked with usual consumer processes with branded foods were also
included in questionnaire. A path analysis model is performed using a distribution free algorithm for test causal effects over
safety index.
3. Results
Usual behaviour models for branded products fail to explain the
perceived safety of cultured species in the referred market. Brands
absence prevents the search for special product characteristics and
the willingness to pay a premium. Instead, a model considering
other extrinsic information sources satisfactory fits (Table 1).
Perceived safety of aquaculture products is positively affected by
the health benefits expected by consumer and confidence in the
fishmonger prestige. In the opposite, confidence in seller suggestions
adversely affects perceived safety. Last is higher in the traditional
seafood marketing channels.
The beliefs on potential benefits for health arising from
cultured species consumption are positively determined, in turn, by
general belief about the safety of aquaculture methods and the generic
advertising campaigns credibility.
4. Conclusions
Brands absence at Spanish seafood markets hampers the development of strategies seeking for a better product appraisal.
Greater importance of the distribution channel agents on the consumer safety perception derives from results. Consumers
will consider the cultured species more safety as greater the shop prestige. Seller suggestions favour other larger margins fish
sources, penalizing aquaculture.
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