Bees are the bee’s knees

It’s funny how selective our memories are. When I think back to the time of my undergraduate studies in Bavaria, I usually don’t think first about what I learned about food and nutritional science at university, or about the days I spent in the library. I think about my flat-sharing community, about our discussion about anything and everything until 4 a.m., and I think about honey. Then one of my housemates, Max, was a passionate beekeeper. I still remember some of the beekeepers’ meetings in our kitchen. I watched them and wondered, what is so special about these small animals, that 12 people can hold such animated discussions about them for hours. Once Max suggested that I join his beekeepers’ association when they watched the movie “More than honey” by Markus Imhof. This was the moment I realized how special bees are, and how important it is for consumers to realize it as well. Please watch the trailer:

In fact, bees mean much more than honey…

“Every third bite of food we eat depends on bees,” claimed Markus Imhoof in the movie “More than honey”. Using the example of a hamburger, he shows what would be left without the help of bees. “No salad, no onions, no ketchup, nor mustard would be there.” The little animals are not only responsible for honey. The picture below illustrates the consequences to our food supply without the existence of bees:

Source: http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca

Why are bees so important to our food? Because our fruit and vegetables must be pollinated in order to grow. While some plants are able to perform self-pollination, a large percentage of plants are dependent on bees for this purpose; more precisely, bees are responsible for 75-80 % of all pollination.

 Honey bees, why are you dying?

Unfortunately, the most recent news about the health of bees is alarming; bee populations in Europe and the US have declined in recent years by 30 %. In the Middle East populations have been reduced by 85%. The reasons for the bees’ decline have remained unclear. There is speculation about poisoning via pesticides (e.g. CCD), immune-suppressing stress, changes in habitat and climate and disease-carrying parasites. The latest research conducted in Lausanne (Switzerland) has shown that cell phone signals may not only confuse bees, but also contribute to their death.

A few words about honey consumers

My German flatmate Max and his bees

Has the information about bees dying reached consumers? How did they react? Before answering this question, let’s characterize honey consumers first. The majority of honey lovers live in Europe. The EU citizens consume almost 22% of the world’s honey production. However, only 50% of this honey is produced in Europe. The rest is imported from the developing world [1]. In general, the average consumption of honey in developing and developed countries is 133 and 650 grams per inhabitants per year [2]. However, many consumers are not conscious about how honey is produced and tend to perceive honey as something entirely natural (Did you know that antibiotics and chemicals may be used to keep bees “productive” before watching the aforementioned trailer?) [3]. Consumers often do not check the country of origin where the honey is produced, as they presume that it is completely safe to consume [4]. However, consumer confidence in the product has been challenged in recent years. In particular, questions about the product have been raised after toxins in honey imported from Asia were found. For instance, Chloramphenicol (one of the toxins found in the Asian honey) is known to cause potential harm to human health [5]. Apart from these honey related scandals, various media outlets, ranging from newspapers, television shows to movies, have produced special reports informing consumers about the decline of honey bee populations. Consequently, important facts about honey production and the importance of bees to humans with respect to food production have been in the spotlight.

Dear bees, consumers care!

All the information mentioned before has hit a nerve with consumers. For instance, the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection in Germany receives daily messages from concerned citizens with questions about honey safety and also for advice about viable solutions to prevent further declines in bee populations. In the UK, many consumers have taken the initiative to help bees. Consumer set up e.g. Internet portals such as www.helpsavebees.co.uk and Facebook groups (e.g. “Save the bees”). Many consumers have also signed petitions banning the use of pesticides in crops, as this practice indirectly affects the health of bees. Many have also become interested in pursuing beekeeping. German beekeeper courses, for instance, have experienced a boom. It seems that the information communicated by media has had a hand in generating a trend.

Knowledge is power!

These consumer activities are interesting from a psychological point of view. They show how knowledge, awareness and trust (or lack thereof) not only influences consumers’ purchasing decisions, but also engages them to take further action. 

If consumers have a limited knowledge about the product, trust is an important factor for their acceptance of it [6]. However, when trust is eroded, most consumers understand that they are responsible for coping with risks, rather than reaping the expected benefits [7] and take it upon themselves to search for information when it is inadequate. Consumers contacting the Federal Ministry, as described above, demonstrates this point well. After gaining satisfactory knowledge, the new awareness often prompts consumers to actively engage in certain causes. Engaging in this situation means that consumers are making a conscious choice to participate. Moreover, they are building an emotional connection with a cause, such as the decline of bee populations. Through building this emotional connection consumers are willing to go further than just consumption; they invest their time and effort into “the relationship with the honey and bees”. They engage.

Instead of a conclusion ..

I was fortunate to have had the chance to assist Max and his beekeeper friends with their work for almost three years. They not only give me great insight into the fascinating world of bees, but also impressed me with their great passion and love towards these beautiful creatures. As Christmas is approaching… instead of spending days searching for presents in large shops, why not search for a beekeeper in your neighborhood, visit him and buy honey as a Christmas present for people you love? I don’t know about your friends and family, but I would be more than happy to receive such a gift.

References

[1] AusAID, 2011. Trade Information Brief Honey. Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, Australian Government. Available from: http://www.sadctrade.org/files/Honey%20Trade%20Information%20Brief.pdf [Accessed December 8, 2014].
[2] Napolitano, G. 2005. Final Report on the 2nd stage of the COPROSAL Organic Honey Proyect. Federal Investment Council.
[3] Aparna, a., Rajalakshmi, D., 1999. Honey—its characteristics, sensory aspects and applications. Food Review International, 15 (4) (1999), pp. 455–471.
[4] Council Directive 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to honey. Available from: http://www.beuc.org/press-media/news-events/european-parliament-vote-keep-lid-gm-pollen-honey [Accessed December 8, 2014].
[5] WHO,1998. Use of Quinolones in Food Animals and Potential Impact on Human Health. WHO/EMC/ZDI/98.10. Geneva: WHO.
[6] Siegrist, M., 2008. Factors influencing public acceptance of innovative food technologies and products. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 19(11), 603-608. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2008.01.017
[7] Siegrist, M., Keller, C. & Kiers, H. a L., 2005. A new look at the psychometric paradigm of perception of hazards. Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis, 25(1), pp.211–22. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15787770.