2021 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Economic Analysis of Food Values: An International Comparison Study
| Project/Area Number |
19H03061
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| Research Institution | Waseda University |
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Principal Investigator |
弦間 正彦 早稲田大学, 社会科学総合学術院, 教授 (90231729)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
合崎 英男 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 准教授 (00343765)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | Food Value / International Comparison / Economic Analysis / Stated Preference Method / Demographical Data |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Main objectives of this proposed study are to examine which food values are most/least important, and to analyze in what “food values” people value across three important regions of the world. The pandemic limited the scope of our studies on food values to expand. We tried our best to make a progress. We planned to conduct a study in each region. Because of difficulty in international research trips, we collaborated with local researchers to conduct a smaller scale study to examine the consumers’ willingness to pay for the premium prices on organic food and certified authentic and traditional food. We also utilized the results from the existing studies targeting in different parts of the world for international comparisons. By testing similar hypotheses, we have been able to compare our results from our studies in Japan with the studies in North America and Europe.
The pandemic has also produced a unique opportunity to examine the change in the consumer behavior with an external shock that might have made people modify the priorities in daily life.
The consumers who have ever purchased organic foods in Japan participated in the survey to express their preferences on the elements of food values. Demographical information was also collected to understand the determinants for the difference in consumer preferences. The impacts of the pandemic on consumer behaviors were also examined.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Consumers’ perceptions on imported organic foods were examined. Specialized grocery stores on organic foods only exist in large cities in Japan. In Korea, North America, and Europe, we find a larger number of specialized grocery stores. Is this because of supply-side reasons or demand-side reasons? This study examined the demand-side factors influencing food choices by consumers and the marketing strategies of food grocery stores. The consumers who have ever purchased organic foods in Japan participated in the survey to express their preferences on the elements of food values. Demographical information was also collected to understand the determinants for the difference in consumer preferences. Policy implications on the development of the food industry were derived as planned.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Using the same questionnaire additional parallel international comparison studies can be performed. Another study can be also developed to understand the supply-side reasons for the development of the food industry. These will give us an opportunity to achieve comprehensive understanding of the evolution of the food industry in various economies.
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Research Products
(4 results)
