ABSTRACT
Introduction Origin labeling is not new. Since ancient times, the Egyptians used it to indicate the resistance of bricks that built the Pyramids, the Greeks used it to indicate the quality of wine (Grote 2009). In the present day context of WTO and globalization, it is embroiled in controversy. Skeptics claim that it is merely a protectionist tool in disguise; its proponent maintains Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) preserve consumers’ right and protection, as the label conveys food safety and quality information. And indeed, COOL affects consumers’ perception, justifiably or not (Berry et al. 2015). Investigations into psychological factors have turned out promising insights, enriching understanding and sustaining a more informed policy debate. While ethnocentrism
1 Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN. 2 Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky, 313 C.E. Barnhart Bldg, Lexington, KY
40546 USA. E-mail: wuyang.hu@uky.edu E-mail: leigh.maynard@uky.edu 3 Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta, 547 General Services,
Edmonton, AB Canada T6G 2H1. E-mail: ellen.goddard@ualberta.ca * Corresponding author: klim@tnstate.edu
and perceived food safety provide an intuitive explanation into consumers’ aversion towards imported food, whether it is simply down to-I don’t trust you-is not known.
