In recent years, quality assurance schemes have grown considerably in number and scope. Several useful benefits have been claimed for them including their value as marketing advantages. However, there appears to be a paucity of published research to support this claim. This paper, therefore, seeks to substantiate the claim that quality assurance schemes represent useful marketing advantages as well as determining the magnitude of the advantage. The study is based on conjoint analysis as it is argued that this is a more realistic and therefore, appropriate research technique than the direct elicitation approach embodied in simply asking consumers for their opinions concerning quality assurance schemes. The paper concludes that quality assurance is an influence on the consumer decision process for mince beef and in addition provides an indication as to its relative importance. It also speculates on the implications for quality assurance schemes in general.

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A Case Study from the Agrifood Sector Research paperPurpose -The aim of this article is to consolidate the theory relating to longitudinal attitude surveys, and supplement it with knowledge gained from the execution of an annual attitude survey of consumers.Design/methodology/approach -First, the article presents a distillation of current knowledge concerning longitudinal research; attitudes and behaviour; measurement of attitudes; and conduct of attitude surveys. Following that, a case study is carried out to survey consumer attitudes. This survey, which is intended to predict future behaviour and monitor changes in consumers' attitudes in response to socio-political and economic changes in the food and agricultural market environment, is then discussed. Originality/value of the paper -Attitude surveys are a popular means of gathering market research data. Much has been written about attitudes and the conduct of ad hoc attitude surveys. However, much less has been published concerning longitudinal attitude surveys.Our study reports empirical findings in an important context, that is: changes in consumers' attitudes in response to changes in the food and agricultural market environment.Keywords -longitudinal research; attitudes and behaviours; food and agricultural market environment; case study. 4

SU MMARYThe difference between the bread wheat and feed wheat prices in the UK (the premium) is an important influence on behaviour throughout the entire grain chain. The aim of the present study was to quantify the influence of grain quality and other factors on interannual variation in the premium calculated as a proportion of the feed price. A hypothetical model of the UK wheat economy was devised, appropriate annual national data from 1982 to 2000 were collected for each component and multiple regression was used to develop a statistical model for the premium.The statistical model included livestock numbers (calculated as pig equivalents), Hagberg falling number and wheat stocks, which together explained 0 . 80 of the interannual variation in the premium. A high premium was associated with high livestock numbers, low Hagberg falling number and low wheat stocks. These variables were included in the hypothetical model because: livestock numbers represent demand for feed wheat ; Hagberg falling number is a quality criterion for purchase of bread wheat with a low value indicating poor quality and thus a smaller supply of bread wheat ; wheat stocks are one of the sources of supply of wheat. It was concluded that of the 16 supply, demand or price variables in the hypothetical model the main variables associated with the premium from 1982 to 2000 were demand for feed wheat, quality of the wheat harvest and carry-over of wheat from the previous harvest.

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