연초형 담배의 원산지 속성에 대한 소비자 선호 및 지불의사액 분석: 선택실험 접근

Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Origin Attributes of Tobacco-Type Cigarettes: A Choice Experiment Approach

This study investigates the influence of the country-of-origin attribute of tobacco leaf on consumer choices and marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for cigarette products. A choice experiment was conducted with 300 adult smokers in Korea, incorporating five attributes—price, country of origin, flavoring, manufacturer, and nicotine content. Mixed logit models were estimated to capture preference heterogeneity. The results show that country of origin is the most influential attribute, with WTP for products made from 100% domestic tobacco being significantly higher than for those made from foreign tobacco. In contrast, flavored products generated negative WTP, indicating aversion, while certain foreign manufacturers were perceived negatively. Preferences for nicotine content varied considerably across consumer groups. By segmenting respondents into four groups according to their stated origin preferences (domestic, mixed, foreign, and indifferent), the analysis revealed heterogeneous effects, with stronger support for domestic origin particularly among older consumers. These findings underscore the central role of origin information in consumer trust and quality evaluation, providing empirical evidence to support policies that promote the use of domestic raw materials, strengthen regulations on flavored products, and introduce origin labeling to ensure consumer rights and informed choices.