Influence of Brand Equity on Milk Choice: A Choice Experiment Survey

Abstract

In the context of sustainable consumption buying local produce could support environmentally friendly production from the local economy. Our study estimates the preference weights that local consumers assign to some milk attributes including local origin and the influence on choice of a local brand of milk, which is traded by a local cooperative of producers in Umbria (Italy). Several preference segments are found amongst fresh and UHT milk buyers by employing a Latent Class model to analyze stated choice data. This specification allows us to verify whether consumers who have a better attitude towards local milk also prefer this brand to others, placing different values on the regional origin of milk.