Use of auctions to assess consumer value for milk from different packaging

摘要

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectof a sensory experience and educational messageon consumer value for fluid milk in different containers:translucent high-density polyethylene (HDPE),white-pigmented HDPE (light-block), and paperboard.We carried out 11 auction sessions (n = 100). Sessionsincluded an explanation of the experiment process;a survey about demographics and milk purchasingand consumption behaviors; a sensory evaluation; aneducational message; and 3 rounds of nth price auctions.Consumers were blindly served 2 pairs of milksamples—2% milk from paperboard and translucentHDPE, and skim milk from paperboard and translucentHDPE—and asked to indicate their preference andlevel of acceptability for each, using a 7-point hedonicscale. Consumers were asked to ascribe a monetaryvalue to each sample. Consumers were also asked totaste and assess a value for 2% and skim milk fromlight-block HDPE. All milk samples were evaluatedsimultaneously by a paNE_L of 9 judges who were trainedto evaluate milk quality attributes on a 15 cm unstructuredline scale. All milk was from the same industrysource, processed and stored on the same timeline foreach session. Results from the consumer paNE_L on acceptability,trained paNE_L descriptive analysis and consumerbids were analyzed using multi-factor ANOVA.Subjecting responses to pre- and post-surveys to kmeans cluster analysis revealed 4 bidding populationsin each round. Trained paNE_Lists detected higher levelsof light-oxidized off-flavor in skim milk from translucentHDPE (5.8 cm) than from light-block HDPE (2.42cm) and in 2% milk from translucent HDPE (5.1 cm)than from paperboard (0.32 cm). Although 84% of participantsregularly purchased milk in plastic containers,consumers’ acceptability scores for milk of the same fatcontent but from different packaging were not different.However, consumers gave higher acceptability scoresto 2% milk from paperboard (5.2/7.0) than skim milkfrom paperboard (4.7/7.0). We found no differences inconsumer value (US$) for 2% or skim milk in paperboardor translucent HDPE. However, after consumersreceived an educational message and tasted “CertifiedFresh Taste” samples, they were willing to pay more for2% milk in paperboard ($0.31 more) or HDPE ($0.38more) packaging with a “Certified Fresh Taste” sealand for skim milk in paperboard ($0.15 more) or HDPE($0.21 more) packaging with a “Certified Fresh Taste”seal than for milk in packaging without such labeling.Although consumers could not detect a difference in themilk from different packages, they indicated that theywould pay more for a “Certified Fresh Taste” seal afterhearing about the effects of light on milk in differentpackaging, demonstrating the importance to consumersof external cues about freshness.