Are there trade-offs in valuation with respect to greenhouse gas emissions, origin and food miles attributes?

Abstract

This study measures consumers' willingness to pay for the attributes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during production, food miles and origin (local/non-local) of rice products and assesses the interaction effects (complementarities and substitutions) between these food attributes using a non-hypothetical experimental auction. Results typically show that consumers are willing to pay a price premium for rice that has lower GHG emissions, lower food miles and/or is local. Most importantly, consumers were found to trade off these three food attributes. The results also show that consumers do not perceive the attributes food miles and origin as perfect substitutes.