Preferences for olive oil between taste and healthiness: An incentivised experiment in Morocco and Tunisia

Abstract Olive oil is a major agri-food product in North Africa, yet local diets have been shifting toward less healthy, sweeter-tasting oils. To assess consumers’ preferences, we conducted an experimental auction with product tasting in Morocco and Tunisia. We focused on national brands of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) that varied in polyphenol content—linked to health benefits but also to bitter/pungent taste, often disliked by consumers. Participants stated their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for each EVOO repeatedly, including after receiving information about the relationship between polyphenol content, taste, and healthiness. Using data from over 200 urban consumers in each country, we find limited baseline differences in WTP by taste or polyphenol content. However, providing health-related information increased WTP for bitter/pungent oils relative to sweeter ones, and this effect persisted even after participants tasted the oils again. These results suggest that a simple, targeted message can incentivise healthier oil consumption in a developing country context.