Consumers' awareness of and willingness to pay for HACCP-certified lettuce in the United States: Regional differences

Food safety is a critical issue in the United States and worldwide. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, 403,110 cases of foodborne illness were reported between 1998 and 2017 in the United States, with the consumption of fresh produce as a significant cause. The objectives of this study are to determine consumers' awareness of and willingness to pay (WTP) a price premium for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)-certified fresh produce, using lettuce in the United States and to analyze regional differences. Based on a nationally conducted consumer survey (N = 1,016), on average, 22% of the consumers were aware of HACCP-certified fresh produce. The average WTP for HACPP-certified lettuce was estimated to be a 9.8% price premium over the price of conventionally grown lettuce and 50% of the respondents were willing to pay a price premium. The average price premium covers the cost of compliance with the Produce Safety Rule developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, producers could lose a significant number of consumers, if they increase the price due to compliance with the Produce Safety Rule. The results also imply that regional differences exist in consumers' awareness of and WTP levels for HACCP-certified produce, which highlights the need for regional food safety programs.