Consumers’ preferences for eco-friendly appliances in an emerging market context

Abstract

At present, the South African (SA) energy supply per person surpasses that of several other developing countries in the world notwithstanding the energy crisis in the country and evidence that SA produces among the highest greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP in the world. The problem is partly due to an increased demand for major household appliances in recent years, which have resulted in an over extension of existing capacity and perpetual power failures. Increasing consumption patterns in the rapidly expanding economy of South Africa requires intentional efforts to promote more sustainable product choices for example an understanding of the relevance of environmental attributes in consumers’ evaluation of product alternatives to ensure lasting environmental implications. Using Sawtooth conjoint software, trade-off tasks were compiled and included in a cross-sectional survey involving 648 households in Tshwane, South Africa to assess the relative importance of various environmental attributes (e.g. energy efficiency) in relation to other product features (e.g. brand and price) of washing machines. Aggregate results reveal that consumers across various age, income and educational levels prioritise brand and price, despite the long-term financial and environmental repurcussions of product features that impact on the use of natural resources.Based on a cluster analysis, four consumer segments were identified that differ in terms of preference structures, which offer valuable insight for the development of intervention strategies and marketing campaigns. In summary, the findings underline current literature,namely that in order to facilitate pro-environmental product choices “green” product offerings must also perform competitively in terms of non-environmental attributes. Future studies should focus on a broader scope of factors, including consumers’ knowledge and awareness of the environmental impact of their product choices, to better inform marketing campaigns and intervention initiatives.