How does origin labelling on food packaging influence consumer product evaluation and choices? A systematic literature review

Abstract

Research on why consumers consider the origin of food products important, how and why it influences consumer choices, and whether they understand and trust it, is fragmented and contradictory. This systematic review of recent, peer-reviewed research finds strong evidence that origin information has a substantial influence on consumers’ food choices. Consumers generally prefer domestic food products to imported and local or regional to other domestic, irrespective of the country or product. The origin becomes less important when trade-offs have to be made and in the presence of other quality cues on the product, such as organic, eco-, or quality assurance labels. Origin information primarily serves two purposes for consumers. First, many believe that food products from some origins are of better quality, safer, more environmentally friendly and in other ways superior to food products from other origins. Second, many consumers feel that it is their duty to support their local or domestic farmers and food industry. A strong ethnocentric bias emerges from the literature review, not only regarding the products consumers buy, but even more regarding their beliefs about products from different origins. In addition, consumers’ understanding and interpretation of information on the origin of food are impeded by a knowledge deficit. However, there is a need for studies digging deeper into deficiencies in consumers knowledge and understanding of origin information. There is also a need for research that disentangles the role of consumer ethnocentrism from other reasons why consumers are interested in origin information.