Consumer satisfaction with current safety standards of fresh meat products and willingness to pay for certified safety-assured meat in Ghana

Abstract

Purpose This study examines consumer satisfaction with current meat safety standards and willingness to pay (WTP) for certified safety-assured meat products. Design/methodology/approach Using a cross-sectional survey of 386 fresh meat consumers across three northern regions of Ghana, we employed a five-point Likert scale to measure satisfaction with meat safety attributes and the contingent valuation method (CVM) with double-bounded dichotomous choice format to elicit WTP. A Cragg double-hurdle model was applied to identify determinants of WTP intensity, capturing the two-stage decision process of whether to pay and how much to pay. Findings Results reveal widespread consumer dissatisfaction with current meat safety standards (average satisfaction score: 0.082), with significant regional variations. The results further reveal that 85.8% and 82.4% of consumers expressed willingness to pay premiums for safety-assured beef and chevon respectively, averaging 60% and 50% price increases. The Cragg model outperformed the Tobit model, indicating distinct decision mechanisms. Key determinants include education, income, institutional trust (particularly in the Food and Drugs Authority) and satisfaction levels, with gender and regional differences playing significant roles. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on northern Ghana, potentially limiting generalizability to other regions. Future research should examine urban-rural differences, seasonal variations in WTP and long-term adoption patterns of certified meat products. Additionally, supply-side analysis of certification costs and implementation challenges would complement these demand-side findings. Originality/value This research provides a comprehensive analysis of meat safety satisfaction and WTP in Northern Ghana, contributing novel understandings into consumer behavior in low-resource settings and informing evidence-based policy interventions for food safety improvement.