This study examined heterogeneous consumer preferences for organic vegetables and their determinants using a market segmentation approach. The analysis aimed to identify consumer segments with a higher willingness to pay (WTP) for organic vegetables and clarify the characteristics of consumers within each segment.
A choice experiment was conducted with Japanese consumers in 2024, and a latent class model was applied to analyze how consumers could be segmented. Demographic, psychological, behavioral, and knowledge-related factors were incorporated into the model.
The results showed that a large proportion of respondents had a limited WTP of approximately 14 yen, while a smaller subset exhibited a substantially higher WTP of approximately 168 yen. The latter group prioritized environmental concerns in their food choices and possessed higher levels of subjective knowledge. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating these factors into both policy design and marketing strategies to increase demand for organic food.
Previous studies have predominantly focused on demographic factors, with relatively few incorporating other influences. To our knowledge, this study is the first to examine the determinants of heterogeneous consumer preferences for organic food in Japan, focusing on psychological factors and knowledge. Considering these aspects, it contributes to the limited but growing body of literature on organic food consumption.
