Higher Willingness To Pay Research Articles

Market segmentation and willingness to pay for public transport annual passes among older adults: insights from Genoa, Italy

A survey of older adults aged 65 and over (n = 247) was conducted in Genoa, often described as ‘the oldest city in the oldest country’ in Europe. This paper presents two scenarios exploring older people's willingness to pay (WTP) for annual tickets for local public transport (LPT) and examines the impact of factors such as cost, time, and comfort. These insights could help address the challenges of travel in ageing societies. A segmentation analysis based on the mean values of the two WTP scenarios (status quo and improved services) was conducted, followed by linear regression modelling to understand how older adults' socio-demographic traits, perceptions, and travel behaviour affect their WTP.Our findings suggest that the pricing of the annual pass (€345 at the time of survey) exceeds the WTP indicated by respondents. The mean WTP for the status quo level of service (€221.36) was much lower than the WTP if service levels were improved (€304.07). Women were found to be more likely to use LPT but also tended to live alone and have lower incomes. Off-peak hours, particularly in the afternoon, were also associated with a higher WTP. This research is important in the context of Europe's ageing population, highlighting the need for more inclusive transport options for older adults. Public transport authorities (PTAs) should explore more tailored approaches to pricing and service provision. It is imperative to balance the competing goals of cost recovery, equity, and service attractiveness to encourage older people's uptake of LPT services, while maintaining accessibility and wellbeing.

Quantifying Benefits of Universal Design in Public Transport.

Universal design (UD) relates to many aspects of public transport (PT), comprising the vehicles/wagons, stops/stations, and access/egress to/from stops. While some UD elements are decisive for relatively few, others enhance the overall PT quality and subsequently improve the well-being of many users. If the service quality is improved, some users will be willing to pay more, either in terms of ticket price or travel time. Improved UD elements in PT therefore increase social benefits for public transport users, in economic terms, even if ticket costs are maintained unchanged. PT users in Norway have been asked to choose between journey alternatives with varying levels of UD elements between the alternatives. These UD elements comprised: a) on-board facilities and driver quality; b) stop/station qualities: shelter, seating, safety, lighting, information; and c) the qualities of the area surrounding stops/stations: road surface quality / icing, lighting, facilities/amenities, information. In total, 25 UD qualities were assessed, in addition to travel time. Fare was one of the varying elements in the journey alternatives, enabling estimation of willingness to pay (WTP) for UD quality improvements. The WTP yields benefit estimates of improvements that can be assessed against the costs of upgrading, maintaining, and running these UD-related elements in PT. More than 2000 respondents participated in our web-based survey. Almost one in five reported special needs when travelling by PT. Comparing those reporting special needs against those not reporting needs/difficulties, we find that their WTP is similar for most UD qualities, but WTP differs on some particular UD elements. Those reporting needs/difficulties show higher WTP for improved cleaning and air quality on board, and for benches and highly visible real-time departure info at stops/stations. All PT users have high WTP for improved access, without detours, to stops/stations, that have shelter and de-iced road surface. Overall, our findings provide a case for increased focus on UD in economic assessments of PT.

Are air travelers willing to pay for mandatory carbon emission policies? Evidence from China

The aviation industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in terms of CO2 emissions and also one of the most challenging to decarbonize. China has become the world's second-largest aviation market. While a nationwide mandatory carbon reduction policy has yet to be introduced in China's aviation sector, it may be implemented in the coming years. The implementation of mandatory carbon reduction policies will inevitably raise questions about the distribution of additional costs. Therefore, air travelers' willingness to pay (WTP) and the factors influencing it are critical considerations for policymakers and airlines. However, there is a lack of research on the WTP of Chinese air travelers under mandatory carbon reduction policies. No studies have specifically focused on the regional differences in WTP among air travelers in China. Moreover, existing research on air travelers' WTP for carbon offsets rarely captures the impact of rational, emotional, and social interaction factors. Therefore, this study investigates the WTP of 3424 air travelers across 31 provincial-level administrative regions in China within the context of a carbon tax policy. Using the Heckman two-step model, the study analyzes the impact of rational, emotional, and social interactions on air travelers' WTP. The results indicate that, after removing biased samples, the average WTP among Chinese air travelers is 311.04 CNY ($44.14) per ton of CO2. The highest WTP is observed in the East China region at 341.20 CNY ($48.42) per ton of CO2, while the lowest is in the Northeast region at 263.19 CNY ($37.35) per ton of CO2. Epistemic performance expectancy, social performance expectancy, function performance expectancy, and anticipated pride positively influence WTP. In contrast, effort expectancy negatively impacts WTP. Additionally, social interaction can moderate the effects of certain rational and emotional factors on WTP. It is noteworthy that although anticipated guilt does not directly influence WTP, its positive impact on WTP can be moderated through social interactions. The results of this study can assist governments in formulating effective carbon emission reduction policies for the aviation industry. Moreover, these findings can provide valuable insights for airlines to adjust pricing strategies under mandatory carbon reduction policies, thus holding practical significance.

Factors associated with household willingness to pay for Universal Health Coverage in Cameroon: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis

BackgroundSustained financing for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been a concern for the Cameroon government. Household contributions have been considered as a financing mechanism, but this raises concerns on the willingness of households to pay for UHC. The current study assessed factors associated with the willingness to pay (WTP) for UHC in Cameroon.MethodsCommunity based, cross-sectional analysis of data from households (selected via multi-stage, randomized, cluster sampling) across all ten regions of Cameroon, during July 2020. Factors associated with WTP for UHC were determined using a multinominal logistic regression model, tested at varying significance levels (1%, 5%, and 10%) to enhance its ability to detect meaningful and practical value associations.ResultsOverall, 5,014 households were surveyed, 64.3% and 35.6% from rural and urban areas respectively. Household heads were 40.2 ± 10.1 years old and mostly male (60.6%). Most surveyed households (72%) were willing to contribute for UHC. Amongst these willing households, WTP varied with the sex (females opted for lower payments) and educational level (those with ≥ high school education opted for contributions ≥ US$ 165.6 annually, p < 0.01) of the household head. WTP also varied proportionally with household income and was influenced by the sector of activity (formal secondary/tertiary and informal sector workers opted for contributions > US$ 165.6 annually, p < 0.01) of the household head. Other factors affecting WTP included household size (households with ≥ 13 persons opted for contributions ≥ US$ 165.6, p < 0.01) and the age of the household head (those ≥ 55 years opted for higher contributions; US$ 33.1–82.6, p < 0.01). WTP varied positively with knowledge on UHC and affiliation to a health insurance scheme. Household who did not resort to self-medication/prayers when in need of healthcare services opted for higher contributions (US$ 82.6– 165.6, p < 0.01).ConclusionUHC implementation in Cameroon will require that factors shown here-in to influence WTP be carefully considered. Modifiable factors such as self-medication/prayers and poor knowledge on UHC, underlines the need for greater sensitization on UHC. Given the high WTP from the informal sector, characterization of the sector could go a long way to increase the financial envelope allocated for UHC.

Transfusion burden and willingness to pay for temporary alleviation of anemia status in transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia patients in China

BackgroundTransfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) is one of the global public health concerns highlighted by the World Health Organization. Patients with TDT require regular blood transfusion to survive. However, the availability of blood resources is extremely limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate transfusion burden and willingness to pay (WTP) for temporary remission of anemia status among patients with TDT and to explore the associated factors.MethodsAdult patients with TDT were recruited through cluster sampling across several high-incidence provinces in China. Consenting patients completed online questionnaires on demographic information, transfusion burden and WTP with real-time WeChat communication assistance from researchers. The guiding techniques of double-bounded dichotomous choices and open-ended questions in the contingent valuation method (CVM) were used to obtain participants’ WTP for 1 unit of leukocyte-depleted red blood cells. WTP calculations were performed using maximum likelihood estimation, with further insights gained through subgroup analysis based on gender, family monthly income level and convenience of blood transfusion.ResultsThe analysis included 149 TDT patients from five high-incidence provinces, with an average monthly income of $198.5. Patients received an average of 3.7 units per transfusion, 15.4 times annually, with an average WTP of $70.4 per unit (95% CI [62.0, 78.9]). Estimated WTP for temporary anemia alleviation per transfusion totaled $260.6, exceeding monthly income by 1.32 times. Higher WTP was observed among males, higher-income households, and those with at least junior education. Lower WTP was noted among patients with lower transfusion volumes and those needing to travel for transfusion or during hospitalization for blood transfusion.ConclusionHigh WTP indicated a strong desire for temporary anemia relief. Most TDT patients faced significant economic and transfusion burden. The evident gap in meeting clinical needed underscores the urgent demand for innovative treatments to reduce transfusion dependency, potentially transforming TDT care and improving socioeconomic well-being and clinical outcomes. These findings supported evidence-based decision-making for TDT pharmacoeconomics and efficient healthcare resource allocation in China.

Willingness to Pay for Blueberries: Sensory Attributes, Fruit Quality Traits, and Consumers’ Characteristics

Understanding consumers’ preferences for fruit quality attributes is key to informing breeding efforts, meeting consumer preferences, and promoting increased market demand. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of fruit quality traits and hedonic sensory evaluation on consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for a selection of fresh northern and southern highbush blueberry cultivars. The WTP was elicited by using a double-bounded contingent valuation conducted in conjunction with a consumer sensory test. Two types of models were estimated using either sensory evaluations (i.e., consumer preference and consumer intensity) or instrumental measurement data (i.e., measures of soluble solids, titratable acidity, sugars, acids, and firmness) as explanatory variables to model WTP. Results using sensory evaluations indicated that flavor liking, flavor intensity, and sweetness intensity are key factors that influence consumers’ acceptance and WTP for blueberries. A regression analysis using instrumental measurements indicated that measures related to sweetness and acidity traits are important factors that determine WTP. Higher WTP was associated with higher total sugar content across different levels of total organic acid. The WTP increases with organic acid content, because this is needed for enhanced flavor; however, WTP declines at high concentrations of organic acid. Except for extreme values of firmness, the WTP increased as measures of fruit firmness increased, indicating a consumer preference for firmer blueberries. Overall, the results provided new insights into the relationships between consumer preference and WTP and fruit quality benchmarks to select for improved quality.

Attributes Influencing Willingness to Pay for Overweight and Obesity Interventions in Adults: A Systematic Literature Review.

This review aims to identify the associated attributes of willingness to pay (WTP) for overweight and obesity interventions.A narrative review was conducted by partially adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline.A non-exhaustive search using a pre-defined strategy and keywords was done on three selected literature databases: Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria for the review were original studies written in English, published between 2000 and 2022, and focused on WTP for overweight and obesity interventions in adults. The extracted studies were manually screened for their eligibility through three cascading tiers: the title, the abstract, and the full article. Only nine original studies were eligible for review based on the screening procedure of 40 screened articles. There was heterogeneity in the study designs, methods, target populations, study duration, and perspectives across the studies. The majority of the studies showed that higher WTP was associated with younger age, having higher income, being female, having higher body mass index (BMI), having the perception of being overweight, habits, and attitudes. WTP is also attributed to the associated percentage of weight loss, long-term health risk reduction, time to noticeable weight loss, delivery mode, side effects, lifestyle modification, and costs of interventions.The identification of common attributes of the WTP for overweight and obesity intervention can assist in the formulation and implementation of effective evidence-based policies. Specific sub-groups with low WTP could be targeted via unique initiatives to improve their participation in weight-loss interventions.

Are agrochemical‐free and biodiversity‐friendly attributes substitutes or complements? Evidence from a coffee choice experiment

AbstractEco‐labels inform consumers about the sustainable attributes of a product, but consumer face challenges to differentiate and select for specific attributes. Certification programs are similarly challenged to incentivize adoption of sustainable practices in product supply chains when consumer ability to differentiate sustainable attributes is low. This study investigates consumers' Willingness to Pay (WTP) for different environmental attributes of coffee production, and whether attributes that conserve biodiversity and limit agrochemical usage are substitutes or complements. We designed and implemented a hypothetical coffee choice experiment combining coffee farm vegetation management attributes that impact biodiversity (conventional monoculture, shade‐grown, or “Bird Friendly” systems that conserve wildlife habitat) and chemical input (conventional, pesticide‐free, or organic) attributes. We found that consumers think of biodiversity and agrochemical management attributes as sustainability substitutes and have the highest WTP for pesticide‐free and organic attributes. Consumer groups with strong concern about the future of the environment had high WTP for all environmental attributes, but still considered the attributes to be substitutes. Our results suggest that eco‐label programs with biodiversity and agrochemical attributes, such as the Smithsonian Bird Friendly® coffee certification, could increase market participation by simplifying environmental sustainability messaging, simplifying farm‐level certification requirements, and targeting environmentally concerned consumers. [EconLit Citations: D12, Q01, Q13, L66].

Who wants to use it most? Exploring public willingness to pay for district heating in hotly debated southern Chinese cities

The feasibility of district heating in Southern China has been hotly debated, with people's willingness to adopt (WTA) and willingness to pay (WTP) becoming critical issues. Based on unique survey data on 2908 residents in South China, this paper measures consumers' WTA and WTP for district heating and uses the logit model and interval regression model to analyze the influence of potential critical factors. The results show that: (1) People in the south who haven't adopted district heating have strong WTAs. However, residents exhibit obvious heterogeneity in their WTP. The mean WTP stands at 4.19 yuan per square meter per month, falling below the prevailing tariff imposed by local condominiums equipped with it. (2) Acceptability of initial installation cost contributes to public's WTA and WTP significantly. For each additional level of increase in affordability, unit WTP rises by 0.469 RMB. (3) WTA and WTP is also considerably higher for households with elderly member. This paper concludes that heating modes in northern cities may not be suitable for the south. District heating might be first promoted in areas with higher WTP, such as neighborhoods with better affordability and households with the aged. While step-by-step implementation can be considered in other areas.

Synthetic natural gas in the private heating sector in Germany: match or mismatch between production costs and consumer willingness to pay?

BackgroundThe residential heating sector in many European countries requires a fundamental transformation if it is to become climate neutral. Besides the introduction of efficiency measures and updating heating systems, scholars and practitioners consider replacing fossil fuels in existing heating systems a viable approach. Drop-in renewable gases such as biomethane and synthetic natural gas (SNG) cause considerably fewer carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than natural gas and can be used in natural gas boilers, the dominant heating system in many European countries. To move the ongoing debate around e-fuels forward, this study reports on a Discrete Choice Experiment with 512 respondents in Germany that analyzed consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for SNG. I build on these insights by comparing WTP to the production costs, making evidence-based decision-making possible.ResultsThe results show that consumers prefer renewable gases over natural gas. Comparing the two types of renewable gases, SNG and biomethane, reveals that consumers clearly favor the latter despite the criticism it has come under in the last 10–15 years. Consumers show a surprisingly high WTP for increasing shares of SNG, with premia of 40 to almost 70% over a natural gas-based tariff. Comparing production costs to the WTP reveals that only tariffs with small shares of SNG (5% and 10%) can be offered at cost-covering prices.ConclusionsGiven the urgent need for a fundamental transition of the residential heating sector, marketers and policymakers should consider carefully whether it is worth channeling a rather unknown and expensive product like SNG into the voluntary market for heating gas, especially as biomethane is already established in the market and clearly a cheaper and more popular alternative.

Does willingness to pay for the traditional flood control measures kasumitei vary by river section of residential area?

Kasumitei (open levees) comprise a traditional flood mitigation measure used in Japan. Kasumitei allow floodwater to flow into surrounding paddy fields, which act as temporary flood mitigation basins. After flooding, debris accumulated in paddy fields often brings crop damage and debris removal costs. Therefore, in some areas, the disaster mitigation functions of kasumitei may bring about conflicts between beneficiaries (downstream residents) and burden bearers (midstream residents). Ensuring the continued use of kasumitei in the future requires a mechanism to support the burden bearers. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the willingness to pay (WTP) for maintaining the kasumitei would be lower for midstream residents (potential burden bearers) than for upstream (irrelevant) and downstream residents (potential beneficiaries). The results showed that contrary to the hypothesis, WTP for maintaining kasumitei was not affected by the river sections of the respondents' residence. Thus, a financial support scheme for maintaining kasumitei might be acceptable regardless of the beneficiary or bearer in the surveyed respondents. In addition, respondents with higher interest in ecosystem conservation tended to have higher WTP. Therefore, to gain support for the maintenance and use of the kasumitei (a type of ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction), the authorities would promote awareness of the measure's contribution to ecosystem conservation. Based on the results, we discussed the potential financial support schemes for maintaining the kasumitei.

Economic valuation of snake conservation in Greece

Snakes are at the same time valuable and vulnerable because they offer many ecosystem services but are also threatened by humans, both directly through persecution and indirectly through habitat destruction. The implicit human fear of snakes often leads to negative attitudes and behaviors. Increasing support and collecting funds are therefore critical for their future survival. We carried out face-to-face interviews of Greek residents (n = 936) for implementing a multiple-bounded discrete choice approach to estimate willingness to pay (WTP), the effects of cognitions, emotions, and sociodemographics on WTP and infer support for snake conservation. A mean annual WTP of €28.0 per household was estimated, suggesting that about €26.6 million per year could be collected during a fundraising campaign. Survey participants had higher mutualism than domination wildlife value orientations and reported moderately low levels of attractiveness and moderately high levels of fear toward snakes. Participants more mutualism-oriented who found snakes more attractive were WTP a higher amount for their conservation than those less mutualism-oriented who found snakes less attractive. Young, females, with higher income, non-farmers, and pet owners were WTP a higher amount for the conservation of snake species than old, males, with lower income, farmers, and non-pet owners. Findings revealed that considerable funds could be collected for snake conservation, further suggesting pro-conservation attitudes among the participants. Further, findings revealed groups with high and low WTP and support of the animals. This information would be valuable if used for creating and implementing tailored education and outreach programs aimed at increasing public support for the protection and survival of snake populations.

Understanding citizens' willingness to contribute to urban greening programs

Urban green is an essential component of livable and sustainable cities, providing benefits for the environment, human health, and well-being. In densely built city areas, planting street trees and installing green roofs and facades can lead to more equally distributed green infrastructure, for which it gained importance in urban planning. However, to achieve the desired effects, cities need to implement small-scale measures on a large scale, which requires broader urban restructuring and significant financial and political resources. Economic valuation can support this process by providing city governments with knowledge about citizens’ support and preferences for greening policies. We use a choice experiment in the Austrian capital, Vienna, as part of a representative survey of 1327 respondents. Using a Mixed Logit Model with correlated random parameters, the results show a clear preference for a greener city, while respondents express a higher marginal willingness to pay (WTP) for measures on streets (5.58 Euro/year) than on buildings (3.60 Euro/year) for change the density of green measures from rare to frequently. Introducing interactions with socioeconomic variables, selected attitudes, and neighborhood characteristics based on geo-referenced addresses, we find a positive correlation between a higher WTP and the characteristics of younger and more affluent residents, as well as citizens who suffer significantly from urban heat, use parks more regularly, and live in neighborhoods with relatively little urban greenery. Overall, the analysis proves valuable for estimating public support and facilitating comparisons between different greening options, contributing to a more informed and nuanced discussion in urban planning and policy.

Cooperative vehicle-infrastructure warning (CVIW) applications: people’s willingness to pay and perceived importance

ABSTRACT Cooperative vehicle-infrastructure warning (CVIW) applications have great potential to relieve traffic congestion and improve traffic safety and mobility. To understand their public acceptance, we investigated Chinese drivers’ (N = 427) perceived importance and willingness to pay (WTP) for 11 CVIW applications, and their potential demographic determinants. Overall, the surveyed participants felt positive toward some of the involved CVIW applications. Among them, 32.6% (long downhill warning) to 79.2% (emergency brake warning) judged the CVIW applications as (very) important. “Emergency brake warning” application had the highest WTP, and “traffic jam warning” application had the lowest WTP. After negative binomial-logit hurdle regression analysis, we find that (1) perceived importance is a positive predictor of WTP; (2) driving mileage and driving experience impact WTP for most of the involved CVIW applications; (3) gender is not a significant factor on WTP. Our results can provide practical insights into predicting CVIW applications deployment and valuing them.

Farmers’ purchase intention and willingness to pay for certified sweetpotato seed under different disease pressure zones in Uganda

AbstractThe use of certified sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) seed (CSS) was reported to unlock the yield potential of the crop leading to an over 80% yield increase. Despite the availability of elements of a formal CSS system, uptake in Uganda has remained dismal. Interdependence between farmer knowledge, perceptions, and purchase behaviors (PBs) is not well understood in a way that could allow the design of meaningful policies and interventions. This study aimed at unveiling factors underlying PB through purchase intention (PI) and willingness to pay (WTP) by interviewing 289 farmers from Omoro and Mpigi districts in Uganda, representing the low and high virus disease pressure zones, respectively. A modified theory of planned behavior (TPB) incorporating awareness as independent and farmer innovativeness as mediating variables expounded the relationships. Data were collected on perceptions, knowledge, innovativeness, and PI using a five‐point Likert scale plus WTP as a price, subjected to descriptive and structural equation modeling analysis. Results indicated significant locational differences in most socioeconomic characteristics. Middle income, CSS information access, and farming experience of 7–30 years conferred more likelihood of high PI. Conversely, high PI, group membership, and being female and middle‐aged increased the likelihood of high WTP. The effects of attitude, perceived behavioral control, and awareness were significant in high disease zone, while subjective norm was significant across disease zones. PI significantly affects WTP in high disease zone (p = 0.000) but its effect is insignificant in low disease zone (p = 0.569). An interplay of socioeconomic, perception, and knowledge attributes influences CSS PB calling for social marketing strategies with location‐specific interventions.

Guilt, gender, and work-life balance: A choice experiment

Japan is amongst those countries known for long hours and an inflexible working culture that makes it difficult to pursue work-life balance. The question is what aspects of job market flexibility are most valuable to Japanese women and men and to what extent are these values are driven by feelings of guilt. Using a nationwide sample of 1046 working-age adults, we conduct a choice experiment that examines willingness to trade wages against changes in job characteristics such as the extent of overtime, job security, the possibility of work transfer and relocation. Our results suggest that: i) workers have high WTP (willingness to pay) to avoid extreme overtime and internal transfers but not to safeguard job security or to avoid relocation, ii) women have higher WTP than men, and iii) the gap is driven only in part by feelings of guilt. Perhaps surprisingly, women's preferences are generally not affected by the presence or absence of children in the household while men's WTP for work-life balance is generally lower in the presence of children, but less influenced by guilt.

Factors influencing the willingness to pay for aviation voluntary carbon offsets: А literature review

One measure to mitigate the carbon emissions created from air travel is voluntary carbon offsets (VCO). As a voluntary measure, the question of whether there is willingness to pay (WTP) for VCOs and due to what factors is as old as the concept itself. A vast amount of literature has studied the factors influencing WTP for VCOs, producing diverse but also contradictory results. In order to shed new light on the question of which factors influence air passengers’ WTP, a systematic quantitative literature review assessing the existing literature on this topic was conducted. Out of 332 studies, 47 articles published between 2004 and 2020 were selected and analysed. The results showed that the highest WTP can be found among young, high-income and highly educated air travellers that are aware of aviation’s contribution to climate change and feel personally responsible for their own contribution to it. Gender played no role in WPT. In terms of the offsetting programs themselves, they should be built to create trust in their effectiveness, establish a clear link between customers’ paying and the positive outcome for the environment, be transparent, not be priced too high and, most importantly, air passengers should be made aware of their existence.

Investigating trends in consumer preferences and willingness to pay for lamb and goat meat: A case study from Florida

AbstractConsidering the growing demand for healthy and environmentally conscious food products in the United States, lamb and goat meat have proved to be beneficial alternatives to other red meats. This study investigates consumer trends and preferences for lamb and goat meat in Florida and sheds light on regional preferences for these products, providing groundwork for further studies. An online survey was conducted using 924 primary shoppers in Florida. Respondents were asked questions regarding demographic characteristics, behavioral qualities, and attributes associated with meat‐buying consumers. A contingent valuation method was used to derive willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) estimates by having participants report the maximum price they would pay for one pound of shoulder cut from lamb or goat. This study focuses on WTP for lamb/goat meat and uses Tobit regression analyses to test relationships between WTP and the consumer attributes described. Various regression specifications were estimated in the analyses to examine the robustness of significant correlations. Results surrounding the consumer WTP were similar for lamb and goat meat, showing that: (1) adventurousness when tasting food is positively correlated with WTP, (2) younger generations (Millennials and Gen Z) tend to have a higher WTP than older generations (Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation), (3) having tasted/liked lamb/goat meat previously both seem to positively influence WTP, (4) importance of access to culturally significant food products is positively correlated with WTP for lamb meat only, and (5) identifying as Hispanic had a negative correlation with WTP for goat meat only.

UK general population's willingness to pay for dental check-ups.

Choices about which dental treatments to provide in a publicly funded system should be guided by the value that the general population place on those treatments. The aim of this study was to estimate United Kingdom (UK) general population willingness to pay (WTP) for dental check-ups, and to investigate what factors influence WTP. WTP was elicited using a hypothetical question in an online survey. The sample consisted of 594 participants, nationally representative of the UK general population in terms of age and gender. Regression analysis was used to examine what factors are associated with WTP. Analyses were conducted including and excluding protest answers. The mean WTP for a dental check-up is £31.32 for the full sample and £33.17 excluding protest answers. Respondents on higher incomes and those with higher university education had higher WTP. Respondents in Scotland were WTP less than respondents living in the rest of the UK which may be the result of NHS dental check-ups being free to patients in Scotland. The general UK population value dental check-ups. This study provides estimates of WTP for dental check-ups which can be used in Cost-Benefit Analyses.

Quantifying perceived social benefit of bicycle-friendly infrastructure in Indian cities: Patna as a case study

The Indian central government has been trying to promote the use of bicycles in the Indian cities acknowledging its potential as a sustainable mode of transport. At the urban administrative level, however, there seems to be skepticism in accepting bicycle infrastructure development as an objective to be invested in. To overcome this, the urban local bodies need to be informed of the perceived social benefits of bicycle infrastructure as a rationale for investing in it. This study identifies the commuters’ idea of favourable cycling conditions through a discrete choice experiment conducted in Patna. Different sets of choice alternatives based on different levels of the six identified factors are presented to the commuters using a Stated Preference survey, and their choice data is collected. Using the Multinomial Logit Model, the coefficients and the willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for different levels of factors are determined. The WTP values depict the quantified perceived social benefit of bicycle-infrastructure development in Patna. Findings from the present study show that a reduction in Trip Length has the highest WTP, followed by better route visibility, segregation from motorized vehicles, improvement in road surface quality, and integration with Public Transport.