Risk perception and WTP in connection to radioactive substances in food products

Sammanfattning: Nuclear power accidents can have severe impact on land, animals and people. The perception of risk connected to nuclear power has been a topic for research for decades. Sweden was heavily effected by the nuclear accident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Approximately five percent of the radionuclides that spread ended up on Swedish ground. Reindeer meet was one of the most effected food products in Sweden and large amounts had to be discarded. The purpose of this research was to look at risk perception of radioactive substances in food products and find key determinants and find the willingness to pay for potatoes and minced beef and what key determinants could be found for that. A survey was conducted with 218 respondents. The data was analysed using ordered probit model for the level of concern and ordinary least square for willingness to pay for potatoes and minced beef. Main findings were that concern was determined by age, having children, income, knowing a current policy decision, searching for food information connected to Fukushima and two interaction terms where gender interacted with using food recommendation and gender interacted with attitude towards nuclear power. Willingness to pay for potatoes were determined by age, gender, size of household and knowing the current nuclear power production in Sweden. Willingness to pay for beef were determined by age, income, attitude towards nuclear power, searching for origin on food products and knowing the current nuclear power production. The result show that, among the sample, there is a willingness to pay to avoid the risk of radioactive substances in food and that at least some, perceive a risk with radioactive substances in food. However, to be able to draw general conclusions to the population further research must be done focusing on a representative sample and the possibility of extending the questionnaire to be able to better capture the perception of risk and willingness to pay.