ABSTRACT In this article, we used a hybrid latent class model and choice experimental data to examine the choices of consumers regarding water and carbon footprint attributes. The findings indicate that a significant proportion of middle- to upper-class consumers are generally willing to pay higher premiums for a reduction in both water usage and carbon emission in agricultural production, displayed through water and carbon footprint labelling. There exist heterogeneous preferences for water and carbon footprint sustainability attributes, with some being environmental sustainability activists and water sustainability advocates, while others are conservatives regarding environmentally sustainable products. About 86 per cent of the middle-class to upper-class respondents attaches a higher monetary value to low water usage relative to low carbon emissions. The preferences for ecologically sustainable product attributes differ significantly as a function of respondents’ underlying attitudes towards environmental degradation and sustainability, socioeconomic characteristics and awareness of water scarcity situation locally. The findings contribute to the current debate on the possibility of using environmentally sustainable production and ecological footprint labelling to address the problem of ecological externalities in the food and agricultural sector.

中文翻译：

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了解南非消费者对低水和碳足迹产品的偏好和市场潜力

摘要在本文中，我们使用混合潜在类别模型和选择实验数据来检查消费者在水和碳足迹属性方面的选择。调查结果表明，通过水和碳足迹标签显示，很大一部分中上层消费者通常愿意为减少农业生产中的用水量和碳排放量支付更高的保费。对水和碳足迹可持续性属性存在不同的偏好，其中一些是环境可持续性活动家和水可持续性倡导者，而另一些则是环境可持续性产品的保守派。大约 86% 的中产阶级到上层阶级的受访者认为，相对于低碳排放，低用水量具有更高的货币价值。对生态可持续产品属性的偏好因受访者对环境退化和可持续性的基本态度、社会经济特征以及对当地水资源短缺状况的认识而存在显着差异。这些发现有助于当前关于使用环境可持续生产和生态足迹标签解决食品和农业部门生态外部性问题的可能性的辩论。当地的社会经济特征和对缺水情况的认识。这些发现有助于当前关于使用环境可持续生产和生态足迹标签解决食品和农业部门生态外部性问题的可能性的辩论。当地的社会经济特征和对缺水情况的认识。这些发现有助于当前关于使用环境可持续生产和生态足迹标签解决食品和农业部门生态外部性问题的可能性的辩论。