Using an economic experiment to estimate willingness-to-pay for a new maternal nutrient supplement in Ghana

Scaling up access to supplements designed to prevent undernutrition, such as new small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS), may require distribution via both public channels and retail markets. The viability of SQ-LNS retail markets will hinge on household-level demand. We use an economic experiment to characterize initial willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a maternal SQ-LNS product in Ghana. WTP is positive for most participants, though below the estimated cost of production for many. WTP varies depending on income, assets, and parity status. These findings have implications for the design of public health policy and hybrid public-private delivery mechanisms.