Presenting smaller ‘component designs’ in place of large discrete choice experiment

Abstract

Employing a sample of US residents, a new WTP (willingness-to-pay) data collection method using component discrete choice experiments is proposed and compared to the traditional method. The WTP experiments elicit consumer's WTP for potentially animal welfare improving production practices and product attributes in yogurt. The new data collection method was designed to decrease complexity by having respondents participate in fewer choice scenarios. Incidences of attribute non-attendance (ANA), a potential simplifying heuristic, occurred less frequently for all but one attribute in the new WTP data collection method. Exhibiting ANA for any attribute was negatively correlated with the time for completion.

Keywords

• Data quality
• Food preferences
• Willingness to pay
• Attribute non attendance
• Yogurt