Consumer Choices and Motives for Eco-Labeled Products in China: An Empirical Analysis Based on the Choice Experiment

Qing Liu,Zhen Yan,Jiehong Zhou

doi:10.3390/su9030331

Abstract

Based on choice experiments conducted via face-to-face interviews with 435 participants in four provincial areas of China (Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Guangdong), Chinese consumers’ preferences and motives for purchasing eco-labeled rice are examined in this study. The heterogeneous effects of each motivating channel are also investigated. The results reveal positive correlations between premiums for eco-labeled rice and consumers’ concerns about food safety and the environment, suggesting that health benefits and environmental considerations are the two critical motivations. The willingness to pay for eco-labeled rice does not increase with consumers’ knowledge of the different production standards indicated by each eco-label. Individual characteristics that determine each class are further explored through a seemingly irrelevant regression to identify the target group of consumers for policy-makers.

Highlights

Food consumption is linked to different environmental impacts
Due to the need to influence the way in which products are produced, changes in consumer behavior are important, and eco-labeling constitutes a response
The respondents’ motivation was measured by asking about the degree to which they were concerned with agricultural pollution issues and food safety

Summary

Introduction

Food consumption is linked to different environmental impacts. consumers’ food choices represent significant environmental decisions [1,2,3]. The public is becoming increasingly concerned about the influence of people’s daily activities on the natural environment [4,5], leading to a shift in the focus of environmental policy from supply-related pollution control to demand-oriented instruments to achieve more sustainable consumption patterns [6]. The latter instruments depend mainly on informing consumers about the environmental effect of products and calling on consumers to reduce the environmental damage caused by their purchasing choices [7]. Due to the need to influence the way in which products are produced, changes in consumer behavior are important, and eco-labeling constitutes a response

Methods

Results

Conclusion