Valuing environmental sustainability attributes of food products in India and China: decomposing the value of New Zealand’s ‘Clean-Green’ brand

Concerns about the general state of the environment have spurred growing consumer demands for food products that have sustainability attributes including information on the environmental impact of production processes. For New Zealand, assessing the role of the ‘Clean-Green’ brand in export market consumers purchase decisions is of crucial strategic importance. In a series of choice experiments concerning lamb and dairy product purchase decisions, this study estimates willingness to pay for environmental sustainability attributes in India and China alongside animal welfare and food safety. The research design identifies if values differ according to the country of origin. Results indicate that environmental sustainability attributes significantly influence consumers’ purchase decisions; however food safety and farm animal welfare are found to be valued more by both Indian and Chinese consumers. Respondents are more likely to purchase lamb and dairy products from New Zealand that have production processes enhancing biodiversity and minimising water pollution. These results support primary sector initiatives to improve environmental performance and aid stakeholders in identifying which elements of the ‘Clean-Green’ brand influence product choice