Consumer acceptance of Wood-Polymer Composites: a conjoint analytical approach with a focus on innovative and environmentally concerned consumers

To determine the potential market for products made of eco-innovative materials, two German-language online studies (n = 198, n = 357) were created to examine consumer acceptance of WPCs in relation to the competing materials. Study 1 introduced a 3 (material: wood, WPC, plastics) × 2 (appearance: wooden or synthetic) within-subject design. Consistent with the expectations, study 1 showed a clear preference for wood over plastics based on a convenient sample. WPCs remained in the centre position, even for environmentally concerned consumers. Study 2 was conducted to replicate the findings with a representative sample. It additionally considered consumer innovativeness and included further product categories. WPCs only slightly deviated from the centre position in study 2. Mostly important, study 2 proved that the higher the environmental concern and the innovativeness of consumers, the more WPCs were accepted. When taken together, the results point to a greater WPC market than previous research had indicated. In general, premature concerns about innovative materials can be prevented by consumer acceptance studies examining the new materials' position in a surrounding 'multi evils' continuum'.