Consumers bahavior towards the country of origin labeling policy: The case of the pasta market in Italy

This study investigates the effect on the demand of pasta following the introduction of the mandatory country of origin labeling for wheat in Italy. This regulation opened a debate between producers, farmers, and consumer organizations on the opportunity posed by this policy. Using an online survey with a choice experiment conducted on 551 Italian pasta consumers, we demonstrated that consumers strongly approve this mandatory policy. This support suggests that place of wheat origin is relevant in driving the pasta choices of consumers and that they are willing to pay a premium price for pasta made with Italian wheat. Moreover, the extra utility that the consumers receive from purchasing pasta made with locally produced wheat is due by their support for the farmers and the agriculture sector [EconLit Citations: D12, Q13, Q18].