Measuring Consumer Preferences for Ecolabeled Seafood: An International Comparison

This paper introduces into the food labeling literature an analysis of consumer preferences for products labeled with information about environmental production process attributes. International seafood ecolabeling programs have been proposed to create market-based incentives for fisheries managers to promote sustainable fisheries. We investigate differences in consumer preferences for ecolabeled seafood across the U.S. and Norway. Using a contingent choice telephone survey of random households in each nation, findings are that a wide range of factors may influence consumers’ likelihood of purchasing ecolabeled seafood products, and that consumer preferences differ by premium, species, consumer group, certifying agency, and regional demographic factors.