Promoting consumer adoption of water-efficient washing machines in China: Barriers and countermeasures

摘要

The increasing popularity of water-efficient appliances is vital for water conservation. However, only few studies have investigated the purchasing behaviour of consumers and its influencing factors, particularly the use of water-saving washing machines (h-axis cloth washers). In this study, we analysed the effects of individual characteristics (e.g. knowledge, attitude and information source), selection criteria and selling points on the purchase of h-axis cloth washers and distinguished the buyers of h-axis cloth washers from those of conventional washing machines (v-axis cloth washers) by conducting a detailed survey of 321 consumers in four cities of northern China. We then evaluated data via one-way ANOVA and binary logistic regression. The choice of a consumer to purchase h-axis cloth washers was positively associated with his/her education, income and water conservation awareness, the energy and water use efficiency of the product and the popularisation of e-commerce and manufacturer websites. High price, information opacity, perceived negative benefits and ineffective communication were identified as the main barriers for selecting h-axis cloth washers. Public programs for promoting the purchase of h-axis cloth washers need to enhance information transparency and effectively communicate the benefits and costs of buying these appliances. Community-based education, salesman supervision, information transparency of water and electricity bills and cloth washer labels are also recommended. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.