Files
Abstract
Labels have been used to make food attributes transparent and to satisfy the
increasing consumer demand for information about food credence values. Several
types of prevalent U.S. food labels, their contributions, and the regulatory agencies
behind them are examined in this paper. Additionally, studies dealing with the
willingness-to-pay (WTP) for labeled products and the use of food labels as nontariff
trade barriers are discussed. While unilateral labeling requirements are
identified as a major form of non-tariff trade barriers, positive media influence and
trust in the government and science are important factors that affect consumer
WTP for food credence characteristics.