Mainstreaming eating agrobiodiversity: Appealing with heron labels and boosting with loach labels

Abstract

Wildlife-friendly labels play an essential role in the enhancement of sustainable food production and consumption. Although evidence in conservation marketing shows the critical role of flagship species in public awareness, few studies have explored their relevant effects on wildlife-friendly labels in terms of staple agricultural products. Therefore, we conducted a choice experiment involving Japanese consumers to understand which flagship species label attracts consumers the most: the Daruma pond frog, the Black crowned-night heron, or the Japanese pond loach. Results show that on average, the Black crowned-night heron labels are the most attractive to consumers. The labels can be potentially sold at a price premium of above USD 30 in comparison to conventional rice. However, there is preference heterogeneity associated with the flagship species. For example, a group may have higher willingness to pay for fish than for a bird. This study also shows that chemical-free labels obtain higher price premiums from all segments despite heterogeneity. The findings highlight the role of the choice of flagship species on wildlife-friendly labels. Furthermore, this study indicates the importance of private benefit dimensions of wildlife-friendly rice. We believe that our study contributes to developing well-designed wildlife-friendly labels to help balance biodiversity conservation and food security.