Consumers' perception toward quality and safety of fishery products, Beijing, China

Consumers around the world increased consumption of fish and fish products in recent years due to recognition of their nutritional value. Frequent occurrences of food safety scares heightened public awareness causing significant reduction in the consumption of the affected products. Many countries, including China, implemented a traceability system to increase vertical coordination and guarantee safety in fish products. This paper aims to provide information on consumers' awareness to quality and safety of fish products, purchasing behavior, and willingness to pay (WTP) for safe fish products in Beijing, China, based on a survey of consumers. The results show a shortage of safety knowledge among customers concerning fish products, including processing, storage, and the traceability system. The age of consumers, educational level, the perception safety and the average price, are the main determinants of Beijing consumer's WTP for the traceable products. On average, consumers are willing to pay a 6% premium for safe, traceable fish products over the price of non-traced products of uncertain safety. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.