Japan-Australian beef selling well.

JAPAN –THE JAPANESE FAVOR AUSTRALIAN BEEF BECAUSE OF PRICE.

With declining wages and worsening unemployment, Japanese consumers have become more price-conscious, yet their desire for safe food remains strong.

For Japan’s consumers, food products from the Oceania region – namely Australia and New Zealand – are held in high regard.

Results from a survey conducted in December 2008, by the Japan Finance Cooperation (JFC) – owned by the Japanese government, show that food from Australia and New Zealand is seen as ’affordable’ and ’safe’, compared with perceptions noted for China and the US, whose products are deemed ’affordable’ but having ’concerns with safety’.

Respondents to the same JFC survey, rated ’cost of food’ as their prime concern (35pc), followed by ’health benefits’ (33pc) and ’safety’ (32pc).

Concerns about costs increased by eight percentage points from the previous two surveys (January and May 2008).

’Safety’ decreased nine percentage points from May results, but was still 11 percentage points higher than those in January 2008.

The JFC survey did not explore Australian beef in particular. However, according to a recent consumer research conducted by MLA, 74pc of respondents agreed that Australian beef is safe, and 70pc thought Australian beef is value for money.