Consumer preferences and willingness to pay for fresh and frozen vegetables

Americans' vegetable consumption is below the recommended levels, contributing to obesity and other health issues. While increased intake is recommended, many obstacles still impede Americans from reaching vegetable intake goals. Recommendations typically focus on promoting fresh vegetable consumption, although other forms, namely frozen, are less expensive, store longer, and are considered nutritionally equivalent to fresh. Using an online choice experiment, this study examined consumer preferences and willingness to pay for fresh and frozen vegetables. Additionally, we examined whether providing accurate nutrition information on fresh and frozen vegetables influenced preferences. Results revealed that consumers strongly preferred fresh vegetables to frozen and that information about the nutrition content of fresh and frozen vegetables did not significantly alter preferences. We found that most consumers steam vegetables, so convenient features like steamable packaging are highly valued in purchasing decisions. Finally, we found that higher levels of nutrition knowledge lessen the aversion towards frozen vegetables; however, knowledge varied across socio-demographic subgroups. Men, younger respondents, and food insecure respondents exhibited significantly lower knowledge levels. Increasing nutrition knowledge could make these groups more willing to purchase frozen vegetables.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural & Applied Econ

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2016

Author dc:creator

• Heinrichs, Pamela Anne

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ellison, Brenna

• Choice experiment
• Vegetable

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 Pamela Heinrichs

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/90706

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/90706