A Study on Consumer Awareness, Perception and Willingness to Pay for Biofortified Products in Delhi, India

Malnutrition, which can perpetuate a cycle of poverty and ill health, will disproportionately impact people. Biofortification is an initiative to ensure improved nutritional outcomes in developing countries, where approaches to food supplements and commercially marketed fortified foods are limited. A primary survey was carried out in and around the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, India. A total of 134 respondents from urban and 123 respondents from rural areas were interviewed. The results revealed that the majority of respondents in urban areas (72%) presumed that biofortified products were higher in micronutrients than those in rural areas (49%). The findings reveal that age and gender negatively impact consumer awareness of biofortification, while education, food habits and income exert a positive and significant impact. The policy implications drawn should enable the development of consumer-based food products by creating a niche market and using an appropriate marketing channel to increase consumer acceptance and WTP.