Abstract
This study examines New Zealand consumers’ acceptance of milk from gene-edited Climate Smart (CS) dairy cows, aiming to understand how consumers respond to technological innovation in future dairy production. A Best–Worst Discrete Choice Experiment (BWDCE) with 1096 respondents was conducted to assess preferences among standard, organic, and three variations of CS milk (CS milk, allergy-free CS, allergy-free CS milk with COVID-19 protection). The results indicate that standard milk remains the most preferred, and New Zealand consumers only consider CS milk as an option when there is a price advantage. CS milk demonstrates strong potential when associated with clearly defined consumer benefits. Among the CS milk types, CS milk with allergy-free benefits received the highest preference. This research provides early market evidence supporting the responsible introduction of gene-edited dairy innovations through consumer-centred communication. However, this study focuses only on the general population, and further research examining the influence of consumer characteristics and consumption habits is needed to fully understand the dynamics of CS milk acceptance.