Apples to advocacy: Evaluating consumer preferences for hard cider policies

Hard cider is a sector of a maturing craft beverage industry that continues to experience growth in the United States. Cider is also experiencing challenges, however, such as competition from other alcohol markets, changing consumer preferences, the supply chain, and inflationary pressures. National policy changes may help promote more optimal outcomes for this sector, but public support is important to policy formation. This study uses survey data from a best-worst scaling experiment of consumers in four leading cider-producing states (Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, and Vermont) to understand preferences toward ten broad cider policy initiatives. The results of multinomial logistic modeling reveal that consumers prefer policies mandating ingredients, nutrition facts, and allergen labeling across all ciders. The least preferred policy initiatives include allowing producers to use vintage on labeling and funding regional cider development. These results have important implications for stakeholders across the industry, including the benefits of labeling disclosures in marketing and the need to improve public awareness of barriers to cider industry development.

Automated summary

Hard cider is a growing sector in the craft beverage industry in the United States, but it faces challenges from competition, changing consumer preferences, the supply chain, and inflation. This study examines consumer preferences towards cider policy initiatives using survey data from four leading cider-producing states. The results show that consumers prefer policies mandating ingredient and labeling disclosures, while policies allowing vintage labeling and funding regional cider development are less preferred. These findings have important implications for stakeholders in the industry, emphasizing the benefits of labeling disclosures in marketing and the need to raise public awareness of barriers to cider industry development.