Consumer preferences in China for imported fresh produce and its attributes: Application of a discrete choice experiment

Demands for quality fresh agricultural produce has been increasing in China due to the rise of the middle-class population, leading to increased imports from many countries, including Australia and New Zealand. However, there is limited information about the product characteristics important to Chinese consumers, with only a few studies assessing willingness to pay for fresh produce from Australia and New Zealand. Therefore, this study aimed to determine Chinese consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) and preferences towards the key quality attributes of imported fruits and vegetables. A discrete choice experiment was utilized, with data collected through an online survey in 13 selected provinces from southern China. In total, 924 qualified responses were collected and analysed. The choice experiment was framed with four attributes, including price, appearance, level of environmental certification and food safety. A high percentage (93%) of respondents had purchased imported fresh produce, which implied that imported fruits and vegetables are well accepted in China. A latent class model employing total payment was used for data analysis. The model found that 76 per cent of respondents preferred excellent appearance and both organic and environmental certification labels as preferred attributes for imported produce. However, there was less interest in nutritional information and food safety as preferred attributes. The analysis indicated that consumers would pay a higher premium for organic produce but were unlikely to pay a higher price for products with a food safety label. This study also revealed that the Chinese consumer would pay about ¥ 2,170 (i.e., about AUD 454) annually for organic certified produce. These results indicate that exporting countries like Australia and New Zealand should focus on appearance, organic and environmental certification levels in promoting their export supply chain for fresh produce.