Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Kira Lancker Author-Name-First: Kira Author-Name-Last: Lancker Author-Email: kl@ifro.ku.dk Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen Author-Name: Christopher B. Barrett Author-Name-First: Christopher B. Author-Name-Last: Barrett Author-Email: cbb2@cornell.edu Author-Workplace-Name: Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University Author-Workplace-Name: Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, Cornell University Author-Name: Kathryn J. Fiorella Author-Name-First: Kathryn J. Author-Name-Last: Fiorella Author-Email: kf326@cornell.edu Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Public & Ecosystem Health, Cornell University Author-Name: Christopher M. Aura Author-Name-First: Christopher M. Author-Name-Last: Aura Author-Email: aura.mulanda@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kisumu Author-Name: Hezron Awandu Author-Name-First: Hezron Author-Name-Last: Awandu Author-Email: awanduhezrone@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kisumu Author-Name: Fonda J. Awuor Author-Name-First: Fonda J. Author-Name-Last: Awuor Author-Email: fondajaneawuor@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kisumu Author-Name: Patrick Otuo Author-Name-First: Patrick Author-Name-Last: Otuo Author-Email: partyotuo2009@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kisumu Title: Understanding Nutrient - Contaminant Tradeoffs in fish consumer demand: Evidence from Kenya Abstract: Fish consumers are often challenged by tradeoffs between nutritional benefits and contaminant risks, which increase due to environmental pollution. Health campaigns and labeling initiatives can guide decision-making by providing information both on contaminant risk and nutritional value of a product, but it is not well understood how consumers react to such complex dual labels. We use data from a stated choice experiment in Kenya’s Lake Victoria region to study how consumers respond to dual labels on fish products, and how their responses to each label interact. We focus on the tradeoff between polyunsaturated fatty acids and contamination with microcystin, a toxin that accumulates in fish during harmful algae blooms. Our findings suggest that, faced with a dual information policy, consumers react rationally to dual health attribute labeling, and that nutrient labels and contaminant warnings can function concurrently, indeed even be mutually reinforcing, but pose a risk of inadvertently concentrating unhealthful consumption in less responsive subpopulations. Length: 85 pages Creation-Date: 2025-08 File-URL: http://okonomi.foi.dk/workingpapers/WPpdf/WP2025/IFRO_WP_2025_01.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 2025/01 Classification-JEL: D12, I18, Q22, Q18, Q51, O13 Keywords: food labels, fish consumer behavior, interdependent preferences, choice experiment, polyunsaturated fatty acids, algal blooms, Lake Victoria Handle: RePEc:foi:wpaper:2025_01