Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
ABSTRACT With the development of new technologies that can change food appearance and taste, food fraud has become an increasingly critical issue in the food market, especially in the online food market worldwide in recent years. This study examines 935 Chinese online beefsteak buyers' preferences for food authenticity test information (meat glue test and DNA test) and explores changes in consumer surplus when such tests are provided. Our findings indicate that Chinese consumers perceive a high risk of food fraud when buying beefsteak online and consistently prefer authenticity test information, such as meat glue tests, DNA tests, and authenticity clues like Halal food verification. We also find that consumers with high consumption levels are more likely to use price as a quality cue to avoid food fraud. Consumers with low consumption levels may receive more consumer surplus from authenticity testing. This study provides important insight for policymakers and food companies when evaluating the benefits of offering food authenticity test information and designing pricing strategies with consumption stratification in the online food market.
Wang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.