Abstract The food industry increasingly seeks to differentiate food products based on sustainability assurances, the use of traditional or ‘authentic’ production methods, a unique origin, or an association with a distinct cultural identity, often relying on certification to enhance the credibility of a quality claim. The natural conditions of the Arctic circumpolar region, its pristine environment, and the relational tie to Indigenous cultures in many circumpolar Arctic nations, distinguish Arctic foods from other commercially available foods, however, little is known about how consumers respond to foods from the Arctic. This paper examines consumers’ perceptions of and willingness to pay (WTP) for foods originating from the Canadian Arctic, and their receptivity to certification for sustainability, authenticity, and origin in the presence of multiple credence attributes. Data from an online survey of 1342 Canadian consumers show that preferences for Arctic foods are driven by the unique geographic origin and a connection with Indigenous cultures and traditions, as well as a desire to improve social and economic conditions in northern Canada. A discrete choice experiment featuring Arctic char elicits consumers’ WTP for attributes related to origin, certification, wild vs farmed fish, and Indigenous vs non-Indigenous fishers. Random parameters logit and generalized mixed logit models allow for both preference and scale heterogeneity. The analysis informs strategies to promote the Arctic food system, both from a Canadian regional economic development context and across the broader Arctic circumpolar region. Limitations imposed by the current seafood labelling regulatory environment in Canada are noted.

中文翻译：

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评估消费者购买北极食品的意愿

摘要 食品工业越来越多地寻求基于可持续性保证、使用传统或“正宗”生产方法、独特的产地或与独特文化特征的联系来区分食品，通常依靠认证来提高质量的可信度。宣称。北极周边地区的自然条件、原始环境以及与许多北极周边国家土著文化的关系，将北极食品与其他市售食品区分开来，但是，人们对消费者对北极食品的反应知之甚少。本文考察了消费者对源自加拿大北极地区的食品的看法和支付意愿 (WTP)，以及他们对可持续性、真实性、和起源在存在多个信任属性的情况下。来自对 1342 名加拿大消费者的在线调查的数据显示，对北极食物的偏好是由独特的地理来源、与土著文化和传统的联系以及改善加拿大北部社会和经济条件的愿望所驱动的。一项以北极红点鲑为特色的离散选择实验引发了消费者对原产地、认证、野生与养殖鱼类以及本土与非本土渔民相关属性的支付意愿。随机参数 logit 和广义混合 logit 模型允许偏好和规模异质性。该分析为促进北极粮食系统的战略提供了信息，包括加拿大区域经济发展背景和更广泛的北极环极地区。