Consumer acceptance and circular business model innovation: evidence from agrifood side-stream valorization

This paper investigates consumer willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for food products whose production involves waste reuse and examines its implications for sustainable business model development in biomass valorization. The study draws on a consumer survey conducted in Lombardy (Italy), analyzed through a binary logit model. The empirical strategy assesses whether the perceived importance of biomass valorization is associated with WTP, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics. Exploratory results indicate that respondents in the high-importance group are more likely than those in the low-importance group to express willingness to pay, although this association is significant only at the 10% level. Education is also positively associated with WTP, while other socio-demographic variables are less relevant. These findings suggest that market acceptance depends not only on technological feasibility, but also on consumer awareness and the credibility of sustainability claims. The paper highlights implications for communication strategies and circular agrifood business model design.