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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2023, Vol. 22 Issue (1): 306-319    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2022.09.008
Agricultural Economics and Management Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Consumers’ experiences and preferences for plant-based meat food: Evidence from a choice experiment in four cities of China
WANG Ge1, Madison T PLASTER2, Bai Yun-li3,4, LIU Cheng-fang1

1 China Center for Agricultural Policy, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R.China

2 Yenching Academy, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R.China

3 Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, R.P.China

4 United Nations Environment Programme–International Ecosystem Management Partnership, Beijing 100101, R.P.China

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摘要  

基于2021年初在中国四个大城市对579名消费者线上问卷调查和选择实验的数据,本文考察了消费者植物肉消费经历和偏好及相关因素。在线上问卷调查中,消费者首先回答了本人近一年植物肉消费经历和对植物肉的态度。有消费经历的消费者进一步参与了以快餐店汉堡为例的选择实验,就汉堡所用的肉类(植物肉或动物肉)、产地(中国或外国)、标签(鲜嫩多汁或无标签)及价格(1325或32元)的不同组合进行选择。调查数据显示,大部分消费者对植物肉持积极态度;85%82%)的消费者吃过(买过)植物肉食品;超过一半的消费者吃植物肉出于想尝试新的食物(58%)或对健康的食物感兴趣(56%);收入、宗教信仰和饮食限制均与消费者植物肉消费经历显著相关。基于选择实验数据的随机参数Logit模型结果表明:79%的消费者选择植物肉汉堡,且平均支付意愿达到88元;99.8%83%)的消费者选择国产(带标签)的汉堡,支付意愿达到了208120)元。异质性分析结果表明女性、本科及以上学历、高收入、有宗教信仰及有饮食限制的消费者更有可能选择植物肉汉堡。



Abstract  

This paper examined consumers’ experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat (PBM) food and their respective correlates, based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2021.  We first described consumers’ experiences in consuming and purchasing PBM food and their correlates, and then analyzed consumer preferences using hypothetical choice experiment.  The experiment offered consumers various options to purchase burgers made from PBM or animal-based meat (ABM), combined with different countries of origin (COO), taste labels, and prices.  Our data showed that respondents hold overall positive attitudes toward PBM food; 85 and 82% of respondents reported experience in eating and purchasing PBM food, respectively.  More than half of them ate PBM food because they wanted to try new food (58%), or were interested in healthy food (56%).  Income, religion, and dietary restrictions were significantly correlated with consumers’ experiences in PBM food consumption.  Results from the Random Parameter Logit Model based on the hypothetical choice experiment data showed that 79% of respondents chose PBM burgers and were willing to pay an average of 88 CNY for a PBM burger.  We also found that 99.8 and 83% of respondents are willing to buy burgers made in China and those with a taste label, with a willingness to pay (WTP) of 208 and 120 CNY, respectively.  The heterogeneity test revealed that females and those with at least a bachelor’s degree, higher income, religious beliefs, and dietary restrictions are more likely to buy PBM burgers than their counterparts

Keywords:  plant-based meat (PBM)        choice experiment        consumers’ preference        willingness to pay  
Received: 06 May 2022   Accepted: 18 July 2022
Fund: The authors acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71861147003, 71925009, and 72141014).

Cite this article: 

WANG Ge, Madison T PLASTER, Bai Yun-li, LIU Cheng-fang. 2023. Consumers’ experiences and preferences for plant-based meat food: Evidence from a choice experiment in four cities of China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 22(1): 306-319.

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