A theoretical framework for examining the role of third-party certifiers

Third-party certifiers play a significant role in the global food system. The information economics literature provides a rich theoretical structure for understanding the emergence of third-party certification bodies. In this theoretical structure, third-party certifiers provide market signals concerning food quality claims. Successful third-party certifiers ensure buyers of food quality and reduce the potential for market failure that might otherwise occur when information about food quality is uncertain and information is asymmetrically distributed.