Household preferences when purchasing handwashing liquid soap: A choice experiment application

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production Vol. 235; pp. 1515 - 1524
• Main Authors: Yao, Richard T., Langer, E.R., Leckie, Alan, Tremblay, Louis A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 20-10-2019
• Subjects: Antibacterial chemicals; Emerging contaminants; Latent class logit model; New Zealand; Preference analysis; New Zealand; Latent class logit model; Preference analysis; Antibacterial chemicals; Emerging contaminants
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.07.002

Limited information is provided on the potential impacts of ingredients in consumer products to assist individuals to purchase household products. This study applied the choice experiment technique to examine the preferences of 385 New Zealand households on their purchasing choice of liquid soap for handwashing. Results from the choice experiment survey, conducted in December 2016 to March 2017, indicated that a typical respondent from the full sample would be willing to pay premium prices for a bottle of liquid soap that is certified to be environmentally friendly (NZ$3.20), hypo-allergenic (NZ$2.90), contains natural ingredients (NZ$2.10), and has antibacterial properties (NZ$1.40). However, by dividing the full sample into four latent classes, a typical respondent in one class would pay NZ$1.88 to avoid the antibacterial activity. This study highlights the importance of accounting for preference heterogeneity across latent classes or respondent sub-groups to better understand preferences and awareness of ingredients in liquid soaps, such as antibacterial chemicals, that can pose environmental and health risks.
•First choice experiment application to assess consumer preferences on liquid soap.•Employed probabilistic regression models to analyse preferences of 385 respondents.•Respondents would pay more for soap with reduced environmental and health impacts.•Used the antibacterial attribute to serve as proxy for emerging contaminants.•Twenty-nine percent of the respondents would pay to avoid antibacterial ingredients.