Valuation of Temp-Time's Fresh-Check® Indicator on Perishable Food Products in Belgium

Consumers are becoming acutely attentive to the factors that influence food safety and food wholesomeness. The food industry is well regulated, yet there is still illness that results from contaminated fresh food products. Recent food contamination outbreaks and concerns with how food is grown have created an almost hypersensitive food consumer. The TempTime Corporation is a leading international manufacturer in time-temperature sensitive indicators for fresh food products. This company's aim is to provide consumers with more information about exactly what happens to their product from the initial packaging of the product to the time of consumption. Their product, called Fresh-Check®, is about the size of a postage stamp, and is affixed to the outer packaging of fresh food products. It is used in conjunction with the use-by-date to ensure a safe and fresh product. This paper focuses on consumer perceptions of the Fresh-Check indicator in Belgium. We employed the contingent valuation survey method to capture Belgian consumer's overall perception, willingness to pay, preference, and acceptance for Temp-Time's Fresh-Check® indicator on fresh food products.