Behavioral framing and consumer acceptance of new food technologies: Factors influencing consumer demand for active packaging

We examine consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for foods packaged using active packaging which can be used to improve quality, shelf life, or safety of a range of products, potentially reducing the use of food additives (preservatives) and food waste. We administer an experimental survey of US food consumers (n = 2325) with five treatments. The surveys include contingent valuation exercises to assess consumer WTP for six products in active packaging relative to conventional packaging. We find that consumer acceptance of this technology is dependent on the product packaged and related directly to the specific relative benefit. In addition, consumer WTP is impacted by the framing of the technology in relation to other available technologies, information about the developer of the technology, and the degree of specificity of information regarding benefits. Notably, impacts of framing and use cases are primarily apparent among those who are resistant to the technology. A cluster analysis finds that those more likely to resist the technology include households that are lower income, less educated, and more likely to be white [EconLit citations: Q18, M31, D12, D83].

Automated summary

The study finds that consumer willingness to pay for foods packaged with active packaging depends on the specific product and its relative benefit. Consumer acceptance of the technology is also influenced by how it is framed in comparison to other technologies, information about the developer, and the level of specificity regarding the benefits. The impacts of framing and use cases are mainly seen among consumers who are resistant to the technology.