That is the title of a paper I just published with Trey Malone in the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
Here are some of the key results:
“Our participants also indicate that they perceive chicken breast to be the healthiest option in our sample. Both beef products would generate substantial changes in WTP by increasing their perceived healthiness to that of chicken. For example, if hamburger had the same average health perceptions as chicken breast, WTP for hamburger would increase by $0.69. Deli ham, however, would experience an $0.83 increase in WTP if consumers were to believe it was as healthy as chicken breast. Even chicken wings would experience a $0.52 increase in WTP through a perception change.”
and
“The nonmeat options are actually perceived as safer than the meat options. As such, if the average participant perceived hamburger to be as safe as beans and rice,WTP would increase $0.34. Of all products, deli ham would benefit the most by an increase in perceived safety to the level of beans and rice. In fact, our sample indicates that pork products are not very highly appreciated. As noted, deli ham is perceived to be the worst tasting, least healthy, and least safe alternative in the choice set. Those negative perceptions are costly. If participants were to perceive deli ham as equal to chicken breast in taste and health, and equal to the perceived
safety of beans and rice, WTP for deli ham would increase by more than $2.”
You can read the whole thing here.