A noncompensatory choice experiment analysis of Japanese consumers' purchase preferences for beef

Abstract

In this article, we consider the noncompensatory valuation of food safety among Japanese consumers with regard to the purchase of beef. Using a choice experiment with a wide range of choice rules, we examine the valuation of beef by Japanese consumers in terms of the country of origin and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)-test status of beef. The results reveal that a Random Parameters Logit (RPL) model along with the noncompensatory choice rules is more suitable than a compensatory model for measuring the valuation of food safety with regard to beef by consumers who are conscious of food safety. Further, the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for each BSE-tested type of beef reveals that Japanese consumers regard the BSE test as rather important for ensuring the food safety of beef.