Influence of Information About Agrochemicals Provided via Internet-Enabled Mobile Phones on Consumer Valuation of Food

This study examined the effectiveness of Internet-enabled mobile phones in informing consumers about food safety. Identical questions about place of origin and specially grown tomatoes were asked of 142 Japanese consumers via an Internet-enabled mobile phone before and after providing information about the frequency of agro-chemical applications to specially and conventionally grown tomatoes in some prefectures. Although participants changed their evaluations in response to the information, some could not understand it because of the notably large amount of content included in the descriptions. Further research is needed to establish the practicality of communicating food safety information to lay consumers via Internet-enabled mobile phones.