La disponibilità a pagare dei consumatori per la funzione salutistica del pomodoro fresco biologico

Researchers are exploring if organic fruits and vegetables have an higher content in healthy-related compounds than conventional products, ceteris paribus. Promising results have been obtained by examining the antioxidants’ content in several organic vegetables and in people consuming them. If further research will confirm these results several organic vegetables could be considered as natural functional food From the demand side, literature widely explored consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) a price premium for the key attributes of organic products: for their health-related properties (mainly, the absence of pesticide residuals) and for their public-good attributes (e.g. environmental friendly production processes). However, consumer’s perception and WTP for proactive healthy properties of organic food, due to their enhanced antioxidant content, are yet largely unexplored. Paper aims to contribute on this issue estimating consumer’s willingness to pay a price premium for organic fresh tomato’s health promoting properties due to its antioxidants’ content (70% higher than in conventional one). Data have been gathered from a questionnaire-based contingent valuation survey of 1102 households living in north-east Italy. Research’s results indicate positive consumer’s attitudes and WTP towards organic ‘natural’ functional food. and some insight have been provided into what socio-economic and behavioral factors affect their WTP.