A study about consumer behavior toward food contaminated with radioactive material after the Fukushima incident

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25712025
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Agricultural science in management and economy
• Research Institution: Ishikawa Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: ARUGA Kentaka 石川県立大学, 生物資源環境学部, 講師 (90589780)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 放射能汚染 / 福島第一原子力発電所事故 / 食品安全性 / 風評被害 / 仮想市場法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A survey for ten food products, including agricultural products with high production volume in Fukushima prefecture and water, is performed to understand the situation of the reputation damage after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Nearly 8700 people from all parts of Japan responded to the survey. Through the study, I found that consumers that lack knowledge in radiation and live far away from the plant that are not familiar with products produced near the Fukushima nuclear plant are more likely to avoid products produced near the plant. It is believable that such consumers are likely affected by false reputation about the safety of food products produced near the plant. On the other hand, I also found that some avoidance behavior toward food produced near the plant is not attributed to false reputation. Some consumers avoid food produced near the plant because they are aware of the danger of radiation contamination and believe that actual risk persists in such products.

Free Research Field

環境資源経済学