Analysis of Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Traceable Fresh Fruits in Shanghai City and Countermeasures

By the survey of consumers' behaviour of purchasing fresh fruits, this paper researches the group characteristics of people who consume traceable fresh fruits, and analyses the main factors influencing consumers' willingness to purchase. Based on this, corresponding proposals are put forward as follows: first, the government should not only focus on supervision and regulation over food security, but also strengthen the education of food security knowledge, publicity and promotion of traceable system; second, the government and related enterprise should particularly pay attention to the impact of consumers' individual characteristics on willingness to purchase and purchase behaviours, and work out feasible strategy of traceable food marketing, according to consumers' preferences, consumers' attention to health, consumers' attention to the healthy growth of children and other factors; finally, when implementing the system, the state and the government should take into full account the average income level of consumers, give full play to the effect of scale merit, and work out the reasonable price that can be accepted by most of consumers.

Consumer willingness to pay for plastic bags levy and willingness to accept eco-friendly alternatives in Botswana

Plastic bags, though commonly used for packaging of goods, are highly durable and non- biodegradable. Plastic bag litter serves as a negative environmental externality detrimental to animal health and natural beauty of the environment. In an effort to curtail the excessive use of plastic bags in Botswana, the government introduced a plastic levy targeted at consumers at retail points. This study uses primary data collected from 367 respondents randomly selected from six geospatially and purposively selected shopping malls to determine the consumers＇ willingness to pay （WTP） for continued plastic bag usage and their willingness to accept （WTA） to shift to eco-friendly alternatives. The results of the study revealed that open dumping and burning of plastic litter are more common in Maun than in Gaborone, It also showed that there is a significant relationship between the level of education and W＇FP. Further, there is a significant variation in income and education in respect to environmental awareness. The government should improve its efforts of sensitizing the public about the improper disposal of plastic bags.

Preference and Willingness of Consumers to Pay for Value-added Poultry Products in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

There has been a steady growth in demand for convenience and ready-cooked food has influenced the interest of poultry processors in developing value-added chicken products that meet consumers＇ demand/choice. A conjoint analysis was done in this study on the survey of 975 chicken consumers in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, between March and September, 2014 to valuate consumers, preferences and willingness to pay （WTP） for various chicken attributed parts, production method, processing method, storage method, the presence of flavor and cooking method. The estimates of consumers, WTP premium prices for various mixtures of value-added characteristics were ascertained. The consumers preferred chicken products refrigerated, from chicken produced under free-range management, chicken breast, chicken product that was addictive and flavor free, which could be oven-heated or pan heated. One half of the entire respondents were willing to pay about 25% more for value-added chicken product over the price for conventional products. On the whole, a premium for value-added chicken products was more likely to be paid for by young consumers, consumers who patronized farmers＇ markets and preferred free-range or organic chicken products. WTP by consumers was negatively affected by price of products. The poultry industry could utilize combined knowledge of consumers＇ WTP for value-added chicken product price as a guide of develop innovative value-added chicken products.

Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Willingness to Pay by Nigerians

Introduction: The COVID-19 Pandemic has affected critical sectors of human development. To curtail these effects, vaccines are being approved for human trials. It is, therefore, important to know the possible vaccine coverage expected in each country. This study determined the willingness of Nigerians to accept and pay for COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey across all states of Nigeria was conducted via a structured e-questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and multinomial logistic regression were conducted. Result: A total of 502 responses were obtained from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, comprising 67.3% males (n = 338) and 32.7% females (n = 164). The results indicated that 34.7% (n = 167) are willing to accept the vaccine when given for free, 33.9% (n = 163) are not willing, and up to 31.4% (n = 151) are indifferent in their decision. Univariate analysis indicated the likelihood that education level could influence willingness to accept the vaccine (F = 2.408, p = 0.049). Rollout strategies may have an impact (p < 0.0001) on the willingness to accept the vaccine. These strategies include providing incentives, making it compulsory and paying for the vaccine with F = 186.983 and eta = 0.657, F =71.620 and Eta = 0.476, F = 108.696 and Eta = 0.552, respectively. Conclusion: The study revealed a possibility of the low willingness of Nigerians to accept COVID-19 vaccine. Providing incentives is likely to improve coverage, while making the vaccine compulsory may increase rejection. This study, therefore, serves as a gateway for government and policymakers on how best to prime and penetrate the society to achieve massive COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Nigeria.

Consumers’ Awareness of Genetically Modified Food and Their Willingness to Buy in Yanbian Prefecture

Having a clear understanding of consumers' awareness of genetically modified food and their willingness to buy, plays a very important role in formulating the regulatory policy of genetically modified food and regulating the market of genetically modified food. This paper takes the supermarket consumers as the study object. Through on-site questionnaire survey, we find that consumers' awareness of genetically modified food is not high in Yanbian Prefecture, and their willingness to buy is also low; the prices of genetically modified food, consumers' income, educational level and so on, are the main factors that affect the willingness to buy. Based on this, we put forth the relevant recommendations: increasing publicity efforts to safeguard consumers' right to know and choose; increasing supervision efforts to improve the existing regulatory system of genetically modified food; actively organizing forces to carry out the study on safety of genetically modified food.

How Environmental Attitudes Affect Consumers’Willingness to Engage in Green Consumption Behaviors:The Moderating Role of“Plastic Restriction”

Consumers’willingness to engage in green consumption behavior will be guided by internal psychological factors and also influenced by external environmental factors.One of the most common external interventions is the issuance of scientific policies and regulations.The government may introduce policies and regulations that help to increase the willingness of green consumption behavior,such as energy-saving and emission reduction policies and policies to restrict plastic products.In this paper,the authors study the mechanism of the effect of environmental attitudes on consumers’willingness to engage in green consumption behavior from the perspective of“plastic restriction”,and conclude that the magnitude of the effect of policies and regulations on the willingness to engage in green consumption behavior varies significantly at different levels of environmental attitudes.This study provides scientific implementation ideas and targeted management suggestions for the government to formulate effective external intervention policies for green consumption.

Challenges and prospects for consumer acceptance of cultured meat

Consumer acceptance of cultured meat is expected to depend on a wide diversity of determinants ranging from technologyrelated perceptions to product-specific expectations, and including wider contextual factors like media coverage, public involvement, and trust in science, policy and society. This paper discusses the case of cultured meat against this multitude of possible determinants shaping future consumer acceptance or rejection. The paper also presents insights from a primary exploratory study performed in April 2013 with consumers from Flanders（Belgium）（n=180）. The concept of cultured meat was only known（unaided） by 13% of the study participants. After receiving basic information about what cultured meat is, participants expressed favorable expectations about the concept. Only 9% rejected the idea of trying cultured meat, while two thirds hesitated and about quarter indicated to be willing to try it. The provision of additional information about the environmental benefits of cultured meat compared to traditional meat resulted in 43% of the participants indicating to be willing to try this novel food, while another 51% indicated to be ‘maybe＇ willing to do so. Price and sensory expectations emerged as major obstacles. Consumers eating mostly vegetarian meals were less convinced that cultured meat might be healthy, suggesting that vegetarians may not be the ideal primary target group for this novel meat substitute. Although exploratory rather than conclusive, the findings generally underscore doubts among consumers about trying this product when it would become available, and therefore also the challenge for cultured meat to mimic traditional meat in terms of sensory quality at an affordable price in order to become acceptable for future consumers.

Research on the Willingness to Accept Compensation and Compensation Sharing of Returning Land for Farming to Forestry in Zhangjiakou and Chengde Region

[Objective] The aim was to study the willingness to accept compensation and compensation sharing of returning land for farming to forestry in Zhangjiakou and Chengde region.[Method] Based on the investigation of farmers’ willingness to accept ecological compensation in Zhangjiakou and Chengde region,farmers’ willingness to accept compensation was quantized,and the calculation model of sharing rate of ecological compensation was established,finally the sharing rate of ecological compensation was calculated choosing water supply quantity as reference.[Result] Farmers’ willingness to accept compensation in Zhangjiakou and Chengde region was 2 740.5 yuan/(hm2·a),and returned farmland area was 429 700 hm2 in 2008,so the willingness to accept ecological compensation was up to 1.178 billion yuan/a.In addition,the ecological compensation sharing rate of government was 37.60% in Beijing,42.75% in Tianjing and 19.64% in Tangshan,and their ecological compensation funds were 443,504 and 231 million yuan,respectively.[Conclusion] The study could provide important foundation for the establishment of ecological compensation standard and implementation of ecological compensation in Zhangjiakou and Chengde region.

South Carolina forestland owners’ willingness to accept compensations for carbon sequestration

Background: Carbon sequestration through recommended forest management practices is an ecosystem service that helps mitigate climate change and its impacts while generating carbon credits for forestland owners to sell in cap-and-trade programs. The California’s cap-and-trade program (California’s carbon market hereafter) allows forestland owners from any part of the contiguous United States to supply carbon credits to compliance entities. In this study, we estimate South Carolina (SC) private forestland owners’willingness to accept compensations to participate in the California’s carbon market using a contingent valuation method. Results: We estimate forestland owners’mean willingness to accept as$67 per acre per year. Our results reveal higher probability of participation of forestland owners with interests in preserving forest ecosystems than those who do not. Additionally, forestland owners who trust in information about climate change from scientists or government are willing to participate more than those who do not. Conclusions: Various factors hinder landowners’ability to participate in carbon markets. Forestland owners in SC consider legislative uncertainty and long-time commitment as the main barriers to participation in California’s carbon market. From this research, average forestland tenure in SC is 27 years, which is far less than the 100-year time commitment of the California’s carbon market. Of those who agreed to participate, choosing between adopting and not adopting any of the three main forest management practices in the California’s carbon market:28% are likely to adopt improved forest management (IFM) practices, 24% are likely to adopt reforestation due to understocked forestlands, and 14% are likely to adopt avoided conversion. In another development, the concept of aggregation has dominated discussions in the California’s carbon market of late. It is an advocacy to include small-scale forestlands in the California’s carbon market. To aggregate, different forestland owners will combine their forestlands to participate. We find that 79% of SC forestland owners are willing to aggregate to participate. However, this research is unable to determine how much total forestland is available in SC for carbon market. We recommend future research in the State on forestland owners’participation in carbon market should consider evaluating forestland availability.

Farmers’willingness to accept compensation for livestock and poultry waste resource utilization and its determinants

Ecological compensation is widely considered a policy that encourages farmers to recycle livestock and poultry waste for economic and ecological benefits.Therefore,based on field data from 30 counties(districts)in six cities of Shandong Province,China,this study systematically analyzes farmers'willingness to accept compensation for livestock and poultry waste resource utilization as well as its determinants.It does so using the UTAUT theoretical analysis framework,as well as the contingent valuation method and Heckman two-stage selection model.The results show that,first,72.4%of the farmers in the sample are willing to accept a certain amount of compensation—the expected value of which is RMB 98.02 per month per household—as an incentive to utilize livestock waste.Second,the key determinants of farmers'willingness to accept compensation are marital status,family annual income,concurrent business,farming scale,economic performance expectation,social performance expectation,knowledge reserve,public relations,and technical convenience.Finally,the factors that affect farmers’willingness in terms of the compensation amount are gender,age,family annual income,social performance expectation,subjective norms,and public relations.Therefore,to promote the recycling of livestock and poultry waste,this study proposes policies that promote education and technology popularization in relation to livestock and poultry waste resource utilization,provide subsidies for waste recycling,and strengthen government control and social supervision over the non-standard disposal of such waste.

Discovering Niche Market： Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Organic Pork

With the concern for environmental quality and food safety, organic food products are becoming more important in the global market. In recent years the organic food industry has been expanding and sales of organic products have been increasing. Abundant studies have been done focusing on organic fruits and vegetables which focused on the shortage of organic live stocks. In this paper we focus our attention on organic pork products. Using a sample of 400 Thais consumers, this study proposes the contingent valuation （CV） technique to measure the willingness of individuals to pay a price premium for organic pork in Thailand. In order to obtain the mean ＂willingness to pay＂ （WTP）, a bivariate probit model was applied to provide information about the crucial variables that affect the WTP. The study revealed that variables that better approximate WTP are based on the lifestyle and knowledge about organic foods rather than the usual socioeconomic factors. The mean WTP on the premium price for organic pork is approximately 34.30 Bath per kg. In order to access the market potential this study shows that the suitable attributes of organic pork which is consistent with consumer preferences are composed of modernized and environmental packaging with special product details. Marketing this product to the buyer it should be set at a reasonable price. Stimulating the market should be done by doing sales promotion and public relations on a regularly basis. In addition, organic pork should be available in any places and convenient for customers to buy.

Consumer confidence and consumers’ preferences for infant formulas in China

A series of safety incidents related to domestically-produced infant formulas(DIFs) almost destroyed Chinese consumer confidence in domestic dairy products. Understanding consumer confidence and its effect on consumption behavior is important to restore consumer confidence and enhance the competitiveness of domestic dairy industry. This article first measures Chinese consumer confidence in DIFs safety using a two-dimension scale(optimism and pessimism) and then investigates its effect on consumers’ preferences for DIFs through a choice experiment. Involving 450 consumers residing in Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang, the experiment elicited information on their preferences for DIFs with six attributes(organic raw milk, farm-to-table traceability, region of origin, quality certification, animal welfare, and price). Our analysis yields four findings. First, Chinese consumers still lack confidence in DIFs safety. Second, quality certification is the most preferred product characteristic, followed by organic raw milk and farm-to-table traceability. Third, serving as a signal of high quality, price exerts a positive impact on choices of DIFs for pessimistic consumers. Finally, consumer preferences for farm-to-table traceability and region of origin are significantly influenced by consumer confidence.

Consumers’experiences and preferences for plant-based meat food:Evidence from a choice experiment in four cities of China

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.

Purchase willingness of new energy vehicles: A case study in Jinan City of China

Speeding up the promotion of new energy vehicles is an important measure to optimize the energy structure,promote energy conservation and emission reduction,and develop the economy sustainability.The research uses a questionnaire survey to analyze the residents’willingness to purchase new energy vehicles in Jinan Gty of China,and utilizes the binomial logistic regression model and Global Moran's I to explain the impact of three factors(including responden ts'personal characteristics and subjective cognition,products,and social environment)on the purchase willingness of new energy vehicles.According to the survey,75.12%of the responden ts consider buying new energy vehicles in the future,but only 11.66%of the respondents know new energy vehicles well.It can be seen that the respondents in Jinan City generally have an insufficient understanding of new energy vehicles.It may lead to a decline in residents’trust in new energy vehicles,which will in turm affect their purchase willingness.Based on the survey,we find that women who live far from the city center enjoy high incomes and have a low-carbon awareness,generally exhibit a higher willingness to purchase new energy vehicles.Spatial distribution of the purchase willingness has certain aggregation characteristics,showing a positive spatial correlation pattern.Purchase willingness has a certain positive diffusion effect in space,and areas with a higher purchase willingness have a positive driving effect on their surrounding regions.Spatial distribution of the purchase willingness can be used as one of the breakthroughs in promoting new energy vehicles.In addition,safety,price,after-sales service,and infrastruicture of new energy vehicles are important determinants of people's purchase willingness.Among the types of subsidies,financial subsidy is most effective on the residents’purchase wilingness.Our research provides an impor tant information for the promotion of new energy vehicles in the region.

Acceptance Sampling Plans with Truncated Life Tests for the Length-Biased Weighted Lomax Distribution

In this paper,we considered the Length-biased weighted Lomax distribution and constructed new acceptance sampling plans(ASPs)where the life test is assumed to be truncated at a pre-assigned time.For the new suggested ASPs,the tables of the minimum samples sizes needed to assert a specific mean life of the test units are obtained.In addition,the values of the corresponding operating characteristic function and the associated producer’s risks are calculated.Analyses of two real data sets are presented to investigate the applicability of the proposed acceptance sampling plans;one data set contains the first failure of 20 small electric carts,and the other data set contains the failure times of the air conditioning system of an airplane.Comparisons are made between the proposed acceptance sampling plans and some existing acceptance sampling plans considered in this study based on the minimum sample sizes.It is observed that the samples sizes based on the proposed acceptance sampling plans are less than their competitors considered in this study.The suggested acceptance sampling plans are recommended for practitioners in the field.

Assessing Consumer Acceptability of Composite Cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i>) Bread

Cassava has gained attention as a potential industrial crop. The roots are processed into cassava flour for bakery and confectioneries. With the ever increasingly expensive level of wheat flour import for bread production in developing countries like Ghana, the need for other highly nutritious yet readily available and less expensive source of composite flour is important. The aim of the study was to investigate consumer acceptability of bread developed from cassava flour and wheat flour. A 4 × 3 factorial design was used to develop bread samples (A = 100% wheat flour, control, B = 10% cassava flour + 90% wheat flour, C = 20% cassava flour + 80% wheat flour and D = 30% cassava flour + 70% wheat flour). Sensory evaluation was performed on the bread samples using the 9-point hedonic scale to evaluate sensory attributes like colour, gumminess, mouth-feel, taste, flavour, and overall acceptability. The proximate compositions of the products were also evaluated using the A. O. A. C (2005) official methods. Statistically, there was significant difference among the protein and carbohydrate of all flour products developed. However, the energy content of products with 30% cassava flour replacement was significantly higher than other replicates. The control had the lowest moisture content of 17.5% with product 20% cassava flour replacement having the highest moisture content of 18.2%. In terms of overall acceptability 10% cassava flour replaced bread was rated like extremely ahead of the control sample which was rated as like very much. These results showed that the 10 and 20% wheat/cassava composite flour bread recipe could be a viable alternative to achieve the desired economic, food security and health.

Trust beyond Technology Algorithms: A Theoretical Exploration of Consumer Trust and Behavior in Technological Consumption and AI Projects

In an era dominated by artificial intelligence (AI), establishing customer confidence is crucial for the integration and acceptance of AI technologies. This interdisciplinary study examines factors influencing customer trust in AI systems through a mixed-methods approach, blending quantitative analysis with qualitative insights to create a comprehensive conceptual framework. Quantitatively, the study analyzes responses from 1248 participants using structural equation modeling (SEM), exploring interactions between technological factors like perceived usefulness and transparency, psychological factors including perceived risk and domain expertise, and organizational factors such as leadership support and ethical accountability. The results confirm the model, showing significant impacts of these factors on consumer trust and AI adoption attitudes. Qualitatively, the study includes 35 semi-structured interviews and five case studies, providing deeper insight into the dynamics shaping trust. Key themes identified include the necessity of explainability, domain competence, corporate culture, and stakeholder engagement in fostering trust. The qualitative findings complement the quantitative data, highlighting the complex interplay between technology capabilities, human perceptions, and organizational practices in establishing trust in AI. By integrating these findings, the study proposes a novel conceptual model that elucidates how various elements collectively influence consumer trust in AI. This model not only advances theoretical understanding but also offers practical implications for businesses and policymakers. The research contributes to the discourse on trust creation and decision-making in technology, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary efforts to address societal challenges associated with technological advancements. It lays the groundwork for future research, including longitudinal, cross-cultural, and industry-specific studies, to further explore consumer trust in AI.

Consumer Attitudes Towards Private Shopping Sites in Turkey

Private shopping sites （PSSs） business model is developing rapidly both in the world and in Turkey since 2000s. However, studies related consumer attitudes towards private shopping sites in Turkey are limited in the literature. So, the main aim of this paper is revealing variables that affect attitudes of PSSs customers in Turkey and conceptualizing these variables within the scope of a model that depends on Technology Acceptance Model （TAM） In this descriptive study, research population includes all of the consumers who made at least one shopping from PSSs in Turkey and ＂snowball sampling method＂ is used. In consequence of an online survey application 409 questionnaires are analyzed. As a result of regression analysis, all of the 14 hypotheses are accepted. In conclusion all of the variables in the model （product quality, delivery service, system quality, information quality, service quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, compatibility, privacy, and security） have significant relations with consumer attitudes. The most important variables in building positive attitudes towards PSSs are perceived usefulness and compatibility. Conversely the lowest variance prediction percentage belongs to privacy variable.

服务经济下网购消费者延保服务购买意向研究

延保服务因其盈利能力和风险规避属性受到电商平台和消费者的青睐。以网购消费者在线延保服务购买行为为研究对象,基于技术接受模型和计划行为理论构建研究模型,通过在线收集的610份有效数据对模型及假设进行验证分析,探索影响企业延保服务网络零售的因素,揭示相应的作用机理,为网络零售业高质量发展提供运营与政策优化方面的借鉴。研究发现:感知有用性和感知易用性对消费者延保服务购买意向均有显著的正向影响,且感知有用性的作用强度相对较大;购买态度作为中介变量能够增强感知有用性和感知易用性对延保服务购买意向的正向影响;主观规范和知觉行为控制显著正向影响消费者延保服务的购买意向,且二者作为调节变量能够分别增强感知有用性、感知易用性对延保服务购买意向的影响;感知有用性影响消费者的购买态度,进而形成消费者延保服务购买意向,是最显著的影响路径之一。