title: Consumer preferences for food allergen labeling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Food allergen labeling is an important tool to reduce risk of exposure and prevent anaphylaxis for individuals with food allergies. Health Canada released a Canadian food allergen labeling regulation (2008) and subsequent update (2012) suggesting that research is needed to guide further iterations of the regulation to improve food allergen labeling and reduce risk of exposure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective of this study was to examine consumer preferences in food labeling for allergy avoidance and anaphylaxis prevention. A secondary objective was to identify whether different subgroups within the consumer population emerged.
  
  
  METHODS
  A discrete choice experiment using a fractional factorial design divided into ten different versions with 18 choice-sets per version was developed to examine consumer preferences for different attributes of food labeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three distinct subgroups of Canadian consumers with different allergen considerations and food allergen labeling needs were identified. Overall, preferences for standardized precautionary and safety symbols at little or no increased cost emerged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While three distinct groups with different preferences were identified, in general the results revealed that the current Canadian food allergen labeling regulation can be improved by enforcing the use of standardized precautionary and safety symbols and educating the public on the use of these symbols.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Carlo A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada.|Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care Research Institute, Vancouver, BC Canada.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harvard
authors.affiliation: Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Canada.|BC Centre for Improved Cardiovascular Health, Vancouver, BC Canada.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grubisic
authors.affiliation: Population Data BC, Vancouver, BC Canada.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galo
authors.affiliation: Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada.|Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care Research Institute, Vancouver, BC Canada.|Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Canada.
authors.forename: Larry D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Lynd
keywords: Food hypersensitivity; Formal policy; Health planning; Health services research; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Hypersensitivity, immediate; Immune system diseases; Public health; Social control