Determining How Chinese Consumers that Purchase Western Food Products Prioritize Food Safety Cues: A Conjoint Study on Adult Milk Powder

Abstract

This study investigated how Chinese consumers prioritize cues when assessing the safety of imported milk powder. A choice-based conjoint survey was completed by 307 participants in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Nanjing, using the internet-based software 1000minds. Important cues for consumers were “government certification logo shown on the product label/Website”; “ingredients and materials, free from preservatives and additives”; “having traceability techniques such as QR code included” and “realistic photos.” Distinct consumer segments reflecting differing trade-offs between safety cues were not detected suggesting that a single food safety communication strategy for this market may be sufficient. These findings add to extant literature by highlighting what cues give consumers the most confidence a product is safe and they provide a raft of actionable insights for government and the food industry in terms of designing and implementing effective risk or market communication strategies for Chinese consumers.