Assessing the Impact of Social and Psychological Factors on Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Low-Carbon Beef: Evidence from Urban China

Reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across beef production raises critical questions about consumers' acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) for low-carbon beef. As a purely environmental attribute, low-carbon choices are often driven by social and psychological motivations rather than direct personal benefit. This study aims to identify how the social and psychological factors of warm glow feelings, protest beliefs, and social norms influence Chinese urban consumers' WTP for low-carbon beef. Utilizing survey data from 760 consumers in Beijing, we employed both the double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method (CVM) and the inferred valuation method (IVM) to assess consumers' own WTP and inferred WTP for low-carbon beef. The results showed that urban Chinese consumers generally indicated a willingness to pay a premium for low-carbon beef with mean own and inferred WTP values at RMB 47 and RMB 45.29 per 500 g, representing premium rates of 17.49% and 13.23%, respectively. Consumers' warm glow feelings, protest beliefs, and social norms significantly influenced their own WTP for low-carbon beef, whereas their inferred WTP was mainly affected by social norms. Consumers' environmental concern had no statistically significant effect on either own WTP or inferred WTP. Policymakers should frame low-carbon beef consumption as a source of personal psychological benefit, mandate transparency regarding the allocation of premium payments of low-carbon beef and establish low-carbon consumption role models within communities.