This article develops and applies a methodology for the parametric evaluation of the landscape external costs associated with renewable energy installations, using two case studies. The primary innovation of the methodology lies in the estimation of the economic value of landscape-related ecosystem services in Italy as a function of key landscape attributes, enabling its application across diverse national landscape contexts. The monetary valuation of landscape services was conducted through a discrete choice experiment (DCE) based on a survey administered to a representative sample of the Italian population (N = 2,352). The DCE results enabled the estimation of 50 unit values (in euros per hectare) reflecting the population's willingness to pay for landscape ecosystem services. These values were differentiated according to qualitative classes of three landscape attributes: naturalistic quality, cultural heritage richness, and the presence of historic rural areas. A distinctive feature of the application of discrete choice experiment in this study is its integration with the available national landscape classification and cartography. This allows for the application of landscape monetary values to specific areas affected by visual intrusion from renewable energy installations, using spatial analysis tools. The methodology was then tested with its application to two case studies in Central Italy: an onshore wind farm and a utility-scale photovoltaic plant. Given the differing landscape contexts of the two case studies, the estimated external landscape cost of the photovoltaic plant was lower than that of the wind farm, both in absolute terms (106,000 euro/year vs. 232,000 euro/year) and relative to annual energy production (1.11 euro/MWh vs. 1.34 euro /MWh). In the context of energy planning and policy, the proposed methodology can be used to support the identification of eligible areas for wind and solar power plants with an approach consistent with welfare economics.

Rapid population growth and urbanization have intensified energy demand and climate vulnerability in cities, elevating the importance of urban green spaces and energy-efficient properties, which impact real estate values. This study uses a hedonic pricing model to assess how environmental amenities and energy efficiency influence property prices. We analysed sales contracts from 2022–2023 in Padua (Italy), enriched with spatial data on key environmental factors. Findings reveal a notable price premium associated with proximity to green spaces and waterways: for each hectare of park area, properties located within 100 m experience a 5.4% price increase, while each additional 100 meters from a waterway reduces apartment value by 3.7%. Additionally, apartments in energy class A or higher command a 30% higher price per square meter with respect to other energy classes. This research offers valuable insights into how urban green spaces and energy efficiency shape real estate values in rapidly urbanizing settings.

Forest areas and mountainous territories provide crucial ecosystem services, among which cultural-recreational services are of particular relevance in the Alps. In 2018, the mountain area of Northeast Italy was struck by the VAIA windstorm, resulting in extensive damage to trail networks and substantial landscape transformations in valleys. Restoring the storm-affected area while considering forest resilience and public preferences became a critical need. This research is aimed at assessing the landscape scenic preferences of visitors and residents of the area impacted by the storm with reference to alternative intervention strategies for restoring the VAIA-affected forests. The psychophysical approach was applied to understand residents preferences and a survey was conducted in May 2022, involving 713 residents in the Veneto region. Respondents were requested to evaluate the scenic quality of 8 landscape typologies characterized by panoramic and non-panoramic views, forests with and without fallen trees, and meadows cultivated or abandoned. They were also required to associate eight proposed categories of emotions with the landscapes, providing scores accordingly. To analyze the factors affecting landscape scenic quality we estimated two regression models. The first model highlighted that the scenic quality of the landscape is positively correlated with panoramic views, cultivated meadows, and forests, while abandoned areas or trees felled by VAIA have negative correlations. The second model demonstrated the existence of a strong relationship between landscape quality and the emotions evoked, with certain emotions significantly impacting scenic quality perception. The second model explains a higher proportion of the scenic quality scores than the first one (R2 = 0.788 vs R2 = 0.527) meaning that emotions are a better predictor of scenic quality than the physical characteristics of the territory. Our results suggest that, in order to improve the recreational services of the mountain territories, for restoring the VAIA-affected forests it will be necessary to remove the felled trees and at the same time increase the presence of panoramic views by substituting in some areas the forests with cultivated meadows.

The forest areas and, more generally, the mountain territory, produce a significant flow of ecosystem services from which the entire community benefits. In October 2018, northeastern Italy was hit by an extreme meteorological event, the Vaia windstorm, which affected 91 municipalities in the Veneto region and destroyed nearly 20% of its forests in some areas, mainly composed of spruce (Picea abies) and fir (Abies alba). This study aims to understand and analyze what the affected population preferences are in relation to different reforestation strategies in the forests affected by the Vaia windstorm in order to have more resilient forests in the future. In this regard, a survey including a choice experiment was carried out in May 2022 involving a sample of 830 residents in the Veneto region. From our results, it emerges that a policy characterized by a mixed reforestation solution of 50% of planted area and 50% natural with fallen trees removed is the respondents’ favorite reforestation policy, bringing an average benefit per year per family equal to EUR 226.5. Considering the reforestation policy proposed, the attribute considered most important (34%) was the presence of a natural forest with the removal of fallen plants, followed by reforestation with a planted forest (24%), while in third place we find the removal of fallen trees in forests damaged to a minor extent by the Vaia storm (20%).

Plant-based meat alternatives have grown tremendously in recent years, with an unprecedented increase in vegan and meat-sounding labelled products appearing on European Union shelves. However, a regulation clarifying what the "vegan" label means and if "meat-sounding" names should be allowed when referring to plant-based foods is still lacking. Led by opposite reasons, both vegetarian and meat producers' associations are demanding to fill this legal void. Our paper contributes to this debate by providing the results of two online experiments that measures how consumers perceive plant-based meat substitutes based on vegan vs. meat -sounding labelling. The results of the first study showed that meat-sounding labels applied to plant-based food altered perceived healthiness, but not other characteristics of the product. The second study indicated that vegan labelling exerted a negative effect on the consumers' perception of tastiness and healthiness, and willingness to buy of plant-based foods. Importantly, these effects were moderated by the consumers' attitudes towards meat-eating and veganism. In line with these results, we propose that the explicit use of the "vegan" label might be counterproductive to increase the sales of plant-based foods, and that the biasing impact of meat -sounding labels on plant-based food's perception is weak.

As some previous research has highlighted, landscape characteristics are useful for improving the market share of some food products and the market power of companies in the agrifood sector. The purpose of this study is to verify whether the visual aesthetic quality of the landscape can influence food preferences and the willingness to pay for agrifood products. To this end, the preferences of 64 participants for three types of juice (orange, peach and pear) were analysed through a blind tasting experiment. Each participant tasted three pairs of fruit juices, one for each type of juice. The juices belonging to each pair were the same, but before tasting, the participants were shown two photos portraying the orchards where the fruits were produced, so participants were induced to think that the juices were different. The landscape associated with each pair of photographs had a different visual aesthetic quality (high or low). Participants were asked to provide three measures while tasting the juices: their overall juice assessment using a seven-point hedonic scale, the visual aesthetic quality of the photos on a seven-point Likert scale, and their willingness to pay as a percentage variation of the price that they usually pay to buy fruit juices. According to our results, the mean overall liking score and the mean willingness to pay percentage variation for the juices associated with a preferred landscape was higher and statistically different. Despite the need for further research, our results suggest that landscape acts as a proxy for quality in the evaluation of some food products and that the use of landscape photos could be a valid marketing strategy in agribusiness.

Much of the so-called ‘wild’ or ‘game’ meat bought these days is actually farmed (not hunted), and current legislation does not require marketers to reveal the production method. What would consumers make of this distinction if they knew? We explore the roles of objective and subjective prior knowledge in determining consumer preferences for wild boar (Sus scrofa) sausage produced using meat from hunting, farming or an unspecified production method. A discrete choice experiment that includes two tests and corresponding self-evaluations reveals that farmed meat is the most preferred type, closely followed by hunted meat, while meat from an unspecified production method is clearly the least preferred. Objective knowledge about hunting is positively related to preferences for hunted meat, while the opposite is true for the effect of prior knowledge about farming on preferences for farmed meat. Finally, subjective knowledge is not a reliable predictor of preferences for either hunted or farmed meat.

The importance of pulse cultivation and consumption is recognized by the scientific community in terms of human nutrition, food security, biodiversity and a valid substitute for animal protein. In some marginal areas, pulse cultivation represents also a protection against the abandonment of agricultural land, the preservation of traditional landscape and the maintenance of natural environments, besides contributing to the safeguard of traditional gastronomy and culture. This study explores how some characteristics connected with rural sustainability, like the preservation of the traditional rural landscape, production area in a Natura 2000 Site of Community Importance (SCI) and EU quality labels (PDO and PGI), might influence organic consumers' choice of lentils. Data were collected in the Umbria region (Italy) in 2014 by interviewing 213 consumers' members of Organic Solidarity Purchase Groups (O-SPGs). The Discrete Choice Experiment methodology was used, and three different models (Multinomial Logit Model (MNL), Mixed Logit Model (RPL) and Endogenous Attribute Attendance (EAA)) were applied to verify the reliability of the estimates. Attribute non-attendance (ANA) behaviour was taken into account. Results reveal that the presence of ANA had an impact on both the relative importance of the estimated attributes and the magnitude of the estimated mean WTP. Therefore, this study suggests that WTP mean estimates should be considered with caution for marketing purposes if ANA is not considered. Looking at pulses, the results help to understand the importance in monetary terms of the relationship between lentil choice and rural sustainability.

This study presents an analysis of consumer preferences for a new food product: Tinned Chianina meat. Respondents (N = 249) participated in a sensory test, where they were also asked to declare their willingness to pay (WTP) for the tasted product. The WTP data were collected after the sensory test by means of the contingent valuation method using a payment card elicitation format. Data were analysed with Cragg’s double-hurdle model to understand which factors influenced market participation (WTP > 0) and then the variables that influenced the declared WTP. According to our results, sensory perception played a key role in explaining both participation in the market and the magnitude of the expressed WTP. Moreover, we found that the sensory aspects have a different effect on the decision to participate in the market and on the magnitude of the expressed WTP. Smell and flavour are the most important in determining the probability of entering the market, while texture has the greatest impact on the declared WTP.

Public urban green spaces are crucial for citizens' wellbeing and are an important part of daily life in cities. To maximize their benefits to quality of life a thorough knowledge of citizens' preferences and preference heterogeneity is crucial in the planning and design of urban green spaces. This study investigated visitors' perception of typical green spaces, with a focus on vegetation structure and the presence of typical historic city walls, as well as preferences within the context of perceived stress and safety. We conducted this study in the historic city of Padua in north-eastern Italy. In 2017, face-to-face interviews of citizens were held and choice sets, based on modified images of different green space scenarios, were used to test users' preferences connected to both stress relief and safety perception. The study highlighted that general, stress relief and safety perception related preferences of the respondents depend on different site characteristics. Respondents preferred a complex but not too wild scenario with sparse trees and aesthetically appealing features such as colourful flowers. Historic walls had a negative effect on general preferences. While general preferences were very similar to stress relief preferences, preferences within the context of safety differed for some attributes. It seems that the vegetation structure and the presence of features linked to human recreational uses are important factors in planning and designing urban green spaces. Management and planning should take into consideration what users demand from green spaces as this will influence their suitable design.

A recent Ministerial Decree has modified the production specifications of Prosecco wine. It widened the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) area and introduced, at the same time, a Protected and Guaranteed Designation of Origin (PGDO) to differentiate the hilly traditional area of Prosecco production from the new production area. The new norms have the advantage of protecting the Prosecco market from counterfeits, but at the same time, they could have a negative effect on the vine growers of the traditional hilly production area that are burdened by greater production costs. This negative effect would be prevented only if the consumer is able to recognize the different qualities of the wines obtained from the PDO and PGDO territories and to pay a premium price for the PGDO territories. The adoption of market strategies able to differentiate the PGDO wine market from the PDO market will be particularly important in this respect. This study analysed the effects of various extrinsic cues on customer intention to buy Prosecco by means of a discrete choice experiment (DCE). The attributes considered in the DCE were the use of grapes from local vine biotypes, traditional landscape preservation, product traceability, place of production and price. Considering that only one-fourth of the Prosecco production is marketed in the area located near the territory of production, it is of particular importance to verify whether the attributes have a different importance for consumers living in different parts of Italy. The DCE results highlighted that while people living in Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia consider the prevalent use of local biotypes of particular importance, followed in order of importance by traceability and the conservation of the traditional rural landscapes, for the people living in other regions, the most important attribute considered when buying Prosecco is the PGDO label.

This study aims to analyse consumer attitudes and to value their willingness to pay a premium price for ethical food from social farming by applying discrete choice experiment methodology. Two real products, zucchini and eggs, that were cultivated in an organic social farm with work inclusion by people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) were considered. We relied on these two products due to their different origins (vegetal and animal) and, in the case of eggs, to compare the willingness to pay for social farming and the preservation of animal welfare. We collected 255 complete questionnaires, and our results show that respondents have a positive willingness to pay for both products if they are obtained with the work inclusion of people with ASDs. For the work inclusion of adults with ASDs, the interviewees expressed a mean WTP of 0.69 (sic) for a box of 6 eggs and 0.85 (sic)/Kg for zucchini. This is particularly important in supporting the economic sustainability of an activity, i.e., social farming, that typically has higher production costs and therefore needs to be supported by public subsidies. The positive attitude of consumers in terms of their willingness to pay a premium price for these products could potentially allow a strong hybridization between profit (agriculture) and nonprofit (social) activities, which could potentially both guarantee economic sustainability to firms and benefit society. Such hybridization has its roots in the view of agriculture as an integral part of the community, where each member is doing his or her part with concrete actions, including those connected to consumption choices that contribute to support the social positive externalities generated by farmers' activities. (C) 2019 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The present study analyzes the demand for extra virgin olive oil of Veneto region consumers in relation to some extrinsic characteristics of the oil, such as the place of production (with particular reference to the Veneto region), the designation of origin, the organic certification, the type of transformation (artisanal or industrial), and the cultivation of olive trees in landscapes that have preserved traditional forms, which are typically the result of irregular plantations or the reduced densities of plants per hectare of cultivated areas. To this aim, a discrete choice experiment was carried out that allowed us to identify the effect of each of the attributes on the choices of the interviewees and to highlight the presence of heterogeneity in consumer preferences. The analysis carried out highlights the presence of a strong segmentation of the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) market in the Veneto region. In the estimated model, the heterogeneity of preferences is particularly relevant in the case of Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) production, handicraft milling, and organic production. In contrast, the interviewees' preferences appear to be very homogeneous for the Italian or Veneto EVOO. The results of our research confirm that the place of production is one of the most important clues considered by consumers when buying EVOO. This effect, however, appears to be less important in the areas where olive tree cultivation occupies only a reduced fraction of the cultivated area. In these situations, people tend to prioritize the consumption of EVOO from other regions where production is more widespread. Olive growing that preserves the traditional landscape appears to have a significant effect on consumer behavior, but only for some market segments.

This paper analyses the demand for social farming (SF) products. In particular, we investigate the preferences of consumers who buy their products from large retailers, rather than from solidarity purchasing groups or other niche markets using a sample of 225 consumers. In this regard, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) was carried out to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) a premium price for the purchase of a common product (i.e., eggs) from farms that employ disabled people. The attributes considered in our DCE design are the employment of disabled people and two additional attributes which may have ethical implications for the choices. The results indicate that consumers are interested in buying SF products, with about 74% of the sample willing to buy the eggs produced by social farms and the average WTP being equal to €1.36 for a pack of six eggs. Moreover, the average WTP for the use of labour of disabled people attribute amounted to €0.69 for a pack of six eggs.

This study investigates the preferences of Italian home-owners when choosing a new domestic heating system. The focus is on understanding the influence on consumer choice of a potential label certifying the effect of the heating system on the greenhouse effect. To this end, we designed a survey including a discrete choice experiment and administered it to residents in north-eastern Italy. Our findings reveal that, on average, respondents pay particular attention to the green effect of their purchase. The carbon dioxide reduction label was considered second in terms of importance after cost. Further analysis found that our sample presents three clusters of customers, with intra-cluster homogeneous preferences. The cluster analysis showed that while the initial system costs are considered to varying degrees by the whole sample, the carbon dioxide reduction label was considered important by 79% of respondents (members of clusters 1 and 2). To achieve greater results in reducing the greenhouse effect of the domestic heating sector, a combination of policies should be used simultaneously to achieve greater effectiveness. Our simulations support the hypothesis that policymakers should achieve greater results in terms of reducing the domestic greenhouse gas emissions by applying a combined policy that leverages the importance citizens accord to the different characteristics of a heating system. From our results, the application of a low carbon dioxide (CO2)emissions' label will amplify the effect of a subsidy that reduces the initial system costs.

This study aims to analyse consumer preferences for red deer meat (RDM) (Cervus elaphus) by conducting a case study in northern Italy. This analysis considers how the attitudes of consumers towards wild game meat and hunting might influence such preferences. This goal is achieved by combining the results of a k-means clustering analysis of the attitudes collected by means of two valuation scales with a discrete choice experiment (CE). According to our results, a positive attitude towards wild game meat has an effect on the willingness to pay (WTP) for RDM that is more than 3 times greater than being in favour of hunting. An analysis of the heterogeneity of consumer preferences allowed us to identify the presence of an important niche market for RDM served as carpaccio. Examining only the mean estimates for carpaccio without considering heterogeneity would lead to neglecting 18% of the sample with a positive willingness to pay for this attribute level.

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature by verifying whether the degree of liking of a new food product influences people’s preferences and willingness to pay from a discrete choice experiment when dealing with sustainable food products. To this purpose, we considered the case study of the introduction into the Italian market of a new food product: tinned Chianina meat. Among the attributes considered for this new product, two in particular were related to sustainability: organic breeding and the preservation of a traditional rural landscape. Half of the respondents underwent a sensory test before taking part in the hypothetical market (discrete choice experiment), while the remaining were administered the tests in reverse order. Tasting the product before the discrete choice experiment did not produce different willingness to pay (WTP) parameters as estimated by a taste factor interaction. However, separating the respondents into those who liked or disliked the product in the tasting condition revealed differences in willingness to pay results. The preferences are different for more than 50% of the attributes considered, and the magnitude of this difference is quite relevant. The WTP for one well known and certified sustainability related attribute—organic breeding—was not affected by the liking, while, for the other—the preservation of a traditional rural landscape—the effect of liking decreases the WTP. As a consequence, we suggest that tasting and liking studies should be routinely coupled with discrete choice studies when analyzing the introduction of new food products, especially when considering sustainable attributes in the experimental design. In the case of organic products where the expectations about taste are higher, neglecting to consider their sensory perception, along with the other discrete choice experiment attributes, could seriously undermine their long lasting success on the market.

Alpine mountains represent one of the most important tourist destinations in the world, constituting approximately 3.1% of the global tourism market when considering the tourist flows coming from abroad. While there may be numerous factors that motivate tourists to choose rural areas, an important role is played by the opportunity to visit well-conserved landscapes and uncontaminated natural areas. The purpose of this study was to make a monetary valuation of the social benefits generated by the adoption of three measures of the Rural Development Plan (RDP) of Veneto (Italy) aimed specifically at enhancing the recreational usability of the mountain territory. In this regard, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) was applied for the economic valuation, and a qualitative survey was used to collect the opinion of respondents related to the measures to protect the meadows and mountain hiking trails. According to the DCE estimates, on average, the benefits due to the conservation of the existing meadows and pastures was equal to €851 per hectare, those due to the conservation and improvement of the trail network were €12,260 per km, and the benefits due to the recovery of the meadows and pastures of uncultivated and abandoned areas for naturalistic purposes amounted to €6852 per hectare. Comparing the estimates obtained with the expenditure incurred by the RDP to finance the three actions considered in our DCE, it can be seen that the benefits are considerably higher than the costs, especially with regard to the conservation of paths and the recovery of abandoned areas for naturalistic purposes.

This paper represents the first attempt to simulate the introduction of an incentive-based environmental tax to the hydropower sector. As hydropower can negatively affect fluvial ecosystems, the paper shows how to design and determine per unit tax values for a taxation system that would then be able to provide producers with incentives to opt for more environmentally friendly solutions. The simulation is carried out in the Province of Sondrio (home to 20% of the Italian hydropower production). First, the paper determines the monetary value of the fluvial ecosystem by means of a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE); then, it compares the models estimated in WTP and preference spaces in order to opt for the most effective punctual values to be used as inputs in a newly designed incentive-based environmental tax; finally, it simulates the effects of the introduction of such a tax to a real case. According to our results, the magnitude of the environmental tax is such that it would certainly stimulate environmentally friendly production, without hindering operators’ profitability.