The effect of forest context on consumer preferences for environmentally certified forest products in New Zealand and Australia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of forest context on the relative importance of forest certification for New Zealand and Australian consumers. Surveys of New Zealand and Australian consumers were conducted to determine the relative importance of forest certification as compared to other wood product attributes in wood outdoor furniture. Using conjoint analysis, data for product attributes including price, forest certification, warranty, type of forest, and country of origin attributes from each group of consumers was analyzed. The results show that for Australian consumers, forest certification was ranked as being the second most important product attribute and for New Zealand consumers it was the third most important attribute. Forest type, with plantation sources being preferred to native forest sources, was the most important furniture attribute for Australian consumers. Region of origin was the most important attribute for New Zealand consumers and preference was given to New Zealand sources over imported sources. Warranty was ranked fourth in importance and price last by both groups. Cluster analysis shows that there are groups of consumers in each country that have similar preferences. The results also show that forest context is important; consumers in New Zealand are more likely to associate a local timber source with plantations since there is little harvesting of native forests. Australian consumers, on the other hand, expect the option of either a plantation or native forest source from domestic timber and therefore focus on forest type and forest certification.