Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
surrounded by other shoppers of a similar demographic and subculture who are buy-
ing ethically certified food, her own assessment of the value of that food (and the cause
it supports) might be influenced positively and she may make the same choice out of
adherence to a group norm.
A third (and related) explanation for ethical consumption is that consumers use
labeled products for social signaling and status. What you buy can be understood as a
signal for who you are and what social group you belong to (Bourdieu 1984). Purchasing
certified food may be associated with highly valued qualities among some social groups.
If someone living in Berkeley, Park Slope, or Cambridge wants to be seen by their peers
as compassionate, selfless, or invested in environmental preservation, buying ethically
labeled food may be a way of achieving social status, providing purchasing choices are
observable (Holländer 1990). Ethical consumption, in this model, becomes a form of
“conspicuous consumption.”8
Finally, consumers may take certification labels as an indicator of the product's quality,
whether in the form of taste or healthfulness. In a nationwide telephone survey, a 78 per-
cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “Animals raised under
higher standards of care will produce safer and better tasting meat” (Lusk, Norwood,
and Prickett 2007, p. 21). In an online survey conducted by Nielson in 2010, 76 percent of
respondents reported that they purchase organic food because they believe it is health-
Since many purveyors of labeled food highlight the health and quality benefits of
their products alongside the social, environmental and animal welfare benefits, it can be
difficult in practice to categorize the consumption of a given labeled product neatly into
Johnston and MacKendrick's typology of “political” consumption (motivated by collec-
tive goals) and “apolitical” consumption (motivated by individual goals) (see Johnson
and MacKendrick, this volume).
Do these different sources of demand add up to a large, robust market for ethically
labeled food? Proponents of ethically labeled foods suggest that certified products tap
into widespread, latent consumer demand for food produced under good conditions,
and that this demand is broad-based and robust enough to drive real change in labor
conditions, the environment, and human health outcomes.
Critiques
Critics of labeling schemes present a more pessimistic view, raising several concerns
about the nature of consumer demand for ethical food.
One common concern is that consumer demand is not sufficiently widespread to
make a significant difference in outcomes like labor conditions or environmental deg-
radation (e.g., Van der Zee 2007). Even if a handful of consumers are willing to pay a
premium, critics argue that there are too few consumers of this kind to make these ini-
tiatives scalable and effective at a global level. The current size of the market reflects not
only demand, but also the current level of supply for ethical goods. It is difficult to know
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