Demand under the Ban – China Ivory Consumption Research (2017) Report Presentation

The research identifies three consumer segments: Rejectors (50%), Ban Influenced Citizens (31%), and Diehard Buyers (19%). While the 2016 ban significantly reduced future purchase intentions from 43% to 18% among the total sample, Diehard Buyers remain persistent, driven by social status and traditional beliefs. The study found that ivory trade is shifting from Layer 1 to Layer 3 cities and that Millennials are a key growth driver, purchasing ivory more frequently online. The most effective deterrent messages are those focusing on endangered elephants and strict legal penalties.

• The study identifies three distinct consumer segments: Rejectors (50%), who do not intend to buy ivory and are most concerned about environmental consequences; Ban Influenced Citizens (31%), who are strongly deterred by law enforcement and penalties; and Diehard Buyers (19%), who are the most persistent and likely to drive post-ban demand.
• The announcement of the ivory ban by the State Council on 30 December 2016 had a measurable impact on consumer intent, with future purchase intentions dropping from 43% to 18% after respondents were informed of the ban.
• Ivory consumption is shifting geographically from Layer 1 cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu) toward Layer 3 cities (Nanning, Chongqing, Nanjing, Jinan, Shenzhen), where there has been an increase in the conversion of past buyers into repeat buyers over the last three years.
• Millennials (aged 18-30) exhibit the highest propensity to buy ivory of all age groups, as measured by the Ivory Purchase Index, and are significantly more likely to use online channels for purchase than other groups.
• The primary drivers for ivory purchase are its artistic value, beauty, uniqueness, and cultural heritage. However, Diehard Buyers and consumers in Layer 3 cities are more strongly motivated by social status and traditional beliefs, such as the idea that ivory brings luck or fortune.
• The most effective deterrents are animal cruelty and the endangered status of elephants, followed by the illegality of the trade and strong penalties. Millennials and females are particularly sensitive to environmental and legal barriers.
• Among tested messages, those combining quantified facts about poaching (e.g., 20,000 African elephants killed annually) with emotional appeals regarding future generations were the most preferred by consumers.
• Spontaneous awareness of the ivory ban is low at 19%, although prompted awareness increases to 46%. Despite this, 86% of respondents support the ban once they learn about it.
• Consumers prefer to receive information about ivory from official government websites (40%), NGO websites (40%), and online news portals (39%).

APA

Meijer, W., Scheer, S., Whan, E., Wu, D., Yang, C., & Kritski, D. E. (2017). Demand under the Ban – China Ivory Consumption Research (2017) Report Presentation. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/593/2q1l64fjwo_Demand_under_the_Ban___China_Ivory_Consumption_Research_2017_FINAL__2_.pdf

Chicago

Meijer, Wander, Sylvie Scheer, Eric Whan, Derek Wu, Crystal Yang, and Dr. Eugene Kritski. Demand under the Ban – China Ivory Consumption Research (2017) Report Presentation. WWF International, 2017. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/593/2q1l64fjwo_Demand_under_the_Ban___China_Ivory_Consumption_Research_2017_FINAL__2_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Meijer |first1=Wander |last2=Scheer |first2=Sylvie |last3=Whan |first3=Eric |last4=Wu |first4=Derek |last5=Yang |first5=Crystal |last6=Kritski |first6=Dr. Eugene |title=Demand under the Ban – China Ivory Consumption Research (2017) Report Presentation |publisher=WWF International |date=December 2017 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/593/2q1l64fjwo_Demand_under_the_Ban___China_Ivory_Consumption_Research_2017_FINAL__2_.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{meijer2017demand, author = {Meijer, Wander and Scheer, Sylvie and Whan, Eric and Wu, Derek and Yang, Crystal and Kritski, Dr. Eugene}, title = {{Demand under the Ban – China Ivory Consumption Research (2017) Report Presentation}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2017}, month = dec, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/593/2q1l64fjwo_Demand_under_the_Ban___China_Ivory_Consumption_Research_2017_FINAL__2_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }