Does organic labelling affect restaurant choice? A study on the Danish Organic Cuisine Label

Abstract

ABSTRACT Following the growth in the demand for organic food in many Western markets, restaurants are following up by using organic produce in their meal preparation. We conduct a study investigating the role of information on use of organic produce in consumers’ restaurant choice, and the role of a state-certified labelling scheme in this context, using the Danish Organic Cuisine Label (OCL) as an example. We conduct a preparatory focus group study to gain an initial understanding of the role of organic product in restaurant choice and of criteria when choosing restaurants in general. We then conduct a discrete choice experiment investigating the potential role of the use of organic ingredients for consumers’ choice of restaurants, and the role of a certified labelling scheme in such a choice. We find that the role of organics in restaurant choice is limited, as the use of organic ingredients is not linked to the hedonic aspects that consumers are found to put most weight on when selecting a restaurant. The role of the certified label is biggest for a small but very organic-oriented segment. Also, for a price conscious segment, the label was associated with quality, but also with higher prices.