Investigating Consumer Preference for Organic, Local, or Sustainable Plants

Abstract

<jats:p>Organically and locally grown food products have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, unlike food products, consumers purchase most outdoor plants for their aesthetic value rather than their nutritional value. Many of the health concerns related to food products might not be applicable to ornamental plants, so the demand for organic non-food plants is unknown. Using a survey with 834 participants from four states, we investigated consumer preference for ornamentals, vegetable transplants, and herbs grown: 1) organically, locally, and sustainably; 2) in energy-efficient greenhouses; and 3) in biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable containers. Our study found that consumers are not enthusiastic about plants or their fertilizers being “organic.” However, consumers are very interested in plants being produced locally, similar to the public's ever-increasing interest in local food products. Consumers are also interested in purchasing plants in containers that are more sustainable. Among the different types of containers, biodegradable and compostable pots are more desirable than recycled pots.</jats:p>

Consumer preferences for organic production methods and origin promotions on ornamental plants: evidence from eye-tracking experiments

“…Although economically important, U.S. consumer demand for ornamental plants was negatively impacted by the economic recession resulting in decreased demand and lower profit margins (Brumfield, ). One strategy to stimulate demand is to promote nontraditional, novel plant attributes (i.e., organic production methods and origins) to generate consumer interest (Hall and Dickson, ; Rihn et al., ; Schimmenti et al., ; Yue et al., ). However, plants require substantial time to grow to salable size and producing plants with these attributes can be costly (Cáceres, ); hence, studying consumer preferences can reduce industry stakeholders’ risks (i.e., time, labor, production space, marketing, and financial investments) through assessing consumers’ interest prior to implementation.…”

Sustainable Urban Landscaping: Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Turfgrass Fertilizers

“…In recognition of the overwhelming evidence that consumers are willing to pay price premiums for certified organic goods (Yue et al 2007(Yue et al , 2011Costanigro et al 2011;Haumann 2012;Zanoli et al 2013), lawn care product suppliers have started to offer nonchemical lawn care products, including natural and/or organic fertilizers. In recognition of the overwhelming evidence that consumers are willing to pay price premiums for certified organic goods (Yue et al 2007(Yue et al , 2011Costanigro et al 2011;Haumann 2012;Zanoli et al 2013), lawn care product suppliers have started to offer nonchemical lawn care products, including natural and/or organic fertilizers.…”

“…Although information about the exact amount of pesticides used for residential lawns in the United States is not readily available, about 77% of participants in our sample had an experience of using herbicides in the past, while 60% used insecticides with annual expenditures ranging from $25 to over $200. Additionally, previous studies provide empirical evidence that consumers are willing to pay price premiums for sustainable attributes in nonedible goods (Yue et al 2007(Yue et al , 2011. Since homeowners' preferences could be influenced by the 3 The use of natural and/or organic fertilizers might be complex because of the evidence that many consumers do not understand the exact definition of organic.…”

“…Another potentially important fertilizer attribute is the source of the ingredients used to produce lawn fertilizers, including organic, natural, and/or synthetic sources. In recognition of the overwhelming evidence that consumers are willing to pay price premiums for certified organic goods (Yue et al 2007(Yue et al , 2011Costanigro et al 2011;Haumann 2012;Zanoli et al 2013), lawn care product suppliers have started to offer nonchemical lawn care products, including natural and/or organic fertilizers. Among natural and/or organic lawn care practices (e.g., turfgrass seed selection, fertilization, pest control, or yard waste recycling; Bruneau et al 2008), the use of natural and/or organic fertilizers is considered to positively impact the environment due to the nature of their eco-friendly ingredients (Easton and Petrovic 2004;Badruzzaman et al 2012).…”

“…A recent study found that 17% of U.S. and Canadian consumers (n = 2,511) perceive "organic" and "local" terms to be interchangeable (Campbell et al 2014). Additionally, previous studies provide empirical evidence that consumers are willing to pay price premiums for sustainable attributes in nonedible goods (Yue et al 2007(Yue et al , 2011. Therefore, understanding the extent to which organic and/or natural attributes influence consumer preferences could offer implications for both regulatory decision makers and marketers of fertilizers.…”