Consumers’ willingness-to-buy pasta with microalgae proteins – Which label can promote sales?

Abstract

As the world population grows, the demand for protein-rich foods increases. Food manufacturers are looking for new sources of protein, such as microalgae, to meet this increasing demand. Since this type of protein is still relatively unknown among consumers, it is relevant to determine consumers' willingness to pay for foods with microalgae proteins. Moreover, there is more interest in front-of-pack labels nowadays and the potential impact of front-of-pack sustainability labels on willingness to pay for foods containing microalgae proteins is largely unknown. Data were collected through a quantitative online survey (n = 3027) including a discrete choice experiment in the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Italy. Willingness to pay for front-of-pack labels on pasta with microalgae proteins – the focal product concept of this study – was investigated using a discrete choice experiment followed by estimation with a random parameter logit model. Respondents were removed from the total sample because of their opting out reason, leaving a sample of 2880 respondents whose data were used in the DCE-analysis. Respondents who opted out of the DCE for various reasons were not included in the DCE-analysis, leaving a sample of 2880 respondents. Respondents were willing to pay the most for an organic label, followed by the Nutri-Score label, and the vegan label on pasta with microalgae proteins. The resulting policy implications show how labelling with the Nutri-Score, organic label or vegan label can contribute to a more nutritious and sustainable diet.