Consumers' heterogeneous preference for organic ginger: a choice experiment

Abstract

PurposeDue to ginger holds a special and indispensable place in Chinese cuisine, understanding consumers’ preferences for organic ginger is of significance, especially given the growing interest in organic food products and sustainable agriculture. This study thus examines Chinese consumers’ preference for fresh ginger and the sources of their preferences heterogeneity for organic ginger consumption.Design/methodology/approachThe study is using choice experiment (CE) method and mixed logit (MXL) modeling with 1,312 valid samples. The participants are regular consumers who are 18 years old or above and had bought fresh ginger within the past 12 months.FindingsThe results show that consumers prefer organic product certification labeling ginger to conventional ginger, preferred to purchase ginger at wet markets to at supermarkets or online, and preferred either ginger with regional public brand or private brand to unbranded ginger. Results also indicate that age, education level, income, purchasing experience of organic and branded ginger, and cognition of ginger health benefits are the sources of heterogeneity in consumer preferences for organic ginger.Originality/valueThis study contributes to ginger growers, marketers and policy makers. This study tracks how consumers' preferences change under different attribute combinations, capture the complex preference structure of consumers, and help reveal the motivations behind consumers' preferences for organic ginger. These findings will be crucial for developing marketing strategies, promoting organic products, and meeting consumer needs.