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The purpose of this paper is to detect what experience and credence quality attributes contribute to the consumer decision to consume cactus pear fruit. The authors therefore try to measure the effect of each quality attribute on consumer choice.

As a theoretical basis, two principal quality attributes emphasised in the literature on consumer behaviour were analysed and adjusted to the specific fruit features. The empirical strategy was carried out by administering a telephone questionnaire survey of 270 interviewees who consume cactus pears in Italy. The questionnaire, consisting of 14 items expressed on a metric scale (five-point Likert scale), was used to rate the importance of cactus pear fruit quality attributes. An ordered logit model was employed for data analysis.

The results show that consumption of cactus pear fruit is mainly based on credence and experience attributes, which have different effects on the consumer decision to consume cactus pear fruit. Among experience quality attributes, the colour red, a low quantity of seeds, and being peeled are the attributes with major effects, following by credence attributes such as environmental sustainability, healthiness, and Italian origin.

The research was based on a particular fruit, and further comparative research is clearly needed. In fact, further advancement in cactus pear research would require that the validity of the empirical findings and their degree of generalisation be examined in other geographical areas.

The results of this study could help to identify some factors on which business could intervene to create a more effective consumer-based approach.

This study contributes to a better definition of cactus pear fruit quality for consumers with the aim of developing marketing strategies to increase farm business. To the best of the knowledge, no study has ever measured the effects of cactus pear fruit quality attributes on consumer choice.

Considers the technique of conjoint analysis as a method for acquiring insights into the preferences for food products. Applies the technique to establish the trade‐offs that consumers make between price, quality, convenience to prepare and location of purchase in the purchasing of fruit and vegetables. Also uses the technique to estimate indirectly willingness to pay for the included attributes according to income group. Quality was found to be the most important attribute. Reveals, through segmentation of the price attribute by income, that those on higher incomes had a higher marginal valuation of price. Also suggests that respondents understood the questionnaire, and answered it in a meaningful and consistent way. Suggests that the technique could successfully be used to establish consumer preferences for alternative food products that are commercially feasible.

This research aims to reach meaningful insights into fruit consumption motives. The study articulates contextual motives observed through inherent fruit characteristics (i.e. attributes and benefits) with personal motives that transcend the situation (i.e. emotions and cultural values).

This qualitative study used the focus group technique comprising eight groups of eight to 10 subjects (n = 94). The participants were frequent fresh-fruit consumers.

The analysis differentiates contextual motives from transituational ones. Older participants are motivated by taking care of health matters. They value fruit as an expression of their determination to take action and care for others. Younger participants are motivated by the experience of pleasure. Fruits have a hedonic value related to joy, being refreshing and tasteful.

Results serve marketers and decision-makers to better target motivations for fruit consumption enhancement. These motivations could be implemented by communicating specific fruit attributes that respond to short-term needs. In the long run, marketers could create fruit consumption campaigns that respond to deeper consumer values.

Designing fruit consumption campaigns aligned with individuals' motives could effectively strengthen the adoption of a healthy lifestyle. This study is helpful from the aspect of a public-policy approach expected to improve public health.

Consumers' fruit preference transcends tangible product characteristics to motives aligned with their goals, emotions and human values. This path merges two approaches: contextual motivations and the Means-end chain model. The first approach recognises short-term observable product characteristics, whereas the latter works on long-term values.

Reports on research into the level of consumer awareness of the attributes of citrus fruit. Claims it is necessary to convert consumer attitudes towards healthy eating into appropriate consumer behaviour. Hypothesizes that consumer knowledge of some important attributes of fruit and vegetable products is low, and that better informed consumers might make better informed purchasing decisions. Describes the methodology and results of the survey which finds evidence that consumers are largely ill‐informed about the attributes of the citrus fruit that they purchase.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of accessibility, quality perception, and price perception on consumer satisfaction with imported fruit, specifically imported Asian pears. The moderating role of the country image was also assessed.

A total of 413 Americans aged over 19 years who had purchased imported Asian pears were surveyed through an online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling and multiple group analysis were conducted to test the hypotheses.

Accessibility, quality perception, and price perception exhibited a significant impact on consumer satisfaction with imported Asian pears and influenced behavioral intention through satisfaction. Multiple group analysis results revealed a moderating effect of the country image on these relationships. Accessibility had a significant impact on consumer satisfaction of consumers with a high country image of Korea, whereas prices had no significant impact on them. In contrast, price was determined as a key satisfaction factor for consumers with a low country image of Korea, whereas accessibility did not have a significant impact.

This study contributes to the literature on imported fruits and provides practical implications for promoting the consumption of imported Asian pears in the US.

The purpose of this study is to determine French consumer perceptions and preferences for fresh fruit from different countries. French consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for citrus fruit and the factors affecting WTP are also determined.

An online consumer survey was conducted in France to collect data on consumer perceptions and preferences for fresh fruits from different countries. The contingent valuation method is used to estimate consumer WTP for fresh citrus fruit. A double hurdle model is used to determine the factors that have substantial impact on consumer preferences.

Results show that fresh fruit from China was perceived as the lowest quality, the least safe, and the cheapest among the fruit from various countries. French consumers had the highest stated WTP for fresh fruit from France, followed by fruit from Spain. In addition, consumer WTP for country of origin varies by type of fruit.

The contingent valuation method does not require consumers to purchase the product being evaluated, which may overestimate consumer stated WTP.

More domestically produced fresh fruit may be provided to satisfy consumer demand for fruit produced in their own countries. As second in consumer stated WTP, Spain should take advantage of the lower price high quality perceptions of their fresh fruit to gain a larger market share in France. Lower rated countries, such as China, Brazil, and Israel, need to improve consumer perception of the fruit from their countries to gain a better position in the fresh fruit market of France.

This is the first paper to present French consumer perception of fresh fruit and WTP for citrus fruit from different countries.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how variables related to lifestyle and ethnocentrism influence Chinese consumers' attitudes and intentions towards the purchase of domestic and imported fresh fruit.

A survey instrument was developed using established scales and focus groups. Data were collected in the city of Wuhan through structured intercept interviews with consumers at major supermarkets and fruit stores. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data.

Chinese consumers' purchase intention of imported fresh fruit is influenced by lifestyle groups, namely risk takers and traditionalists. Also consumers' ethnocentrism tendencies play an important role in shaping their purchase attitudes towards domestic fresh fruit.

Although the research investigated both the sensory and non‐sensory purchase attributes of fruits, it failed to shed light on the intended use of imported fruits, e.g. for gifts, self consumption, children, aged parents and ill patients. Additionally, future research should be conducted that is more product and country specific.

Marketers should ensure that both sensory and non‐sensory purchase attributes of fresh fruit are given due importance, as this will snowball into positive purchase intentions, customer satisfaction and overall profitability for firms.

Despite its potential importance, relatively little is known about consumers' buying behaviour of fresh produce in China. Findings of this study would thus be beneficial to practitioners and policy makers to formulate effective strategies designed to market fresh produce in China.

The degreening process for citrus accelerates natural colour break which changes fruit from an “unripe” green colour to the characteristically ripe orange/yellow colour. Degreening is used by producers both to extend the citrus season to make short‐term financial gains and to make fruit more attractive to consumers. This study reviews how, in an attempt to improve fruit appearance, other quality attributes may be sacrificed. The process is known to be detrimental to external fruit quality and is also suspected to be detrimental to consumption quality and shelf life. In the context of a dynamic and competitive fruit market, any reduction in product quality and consequent loss consumer satisfaction inevitably will have a negative economic impact on producers and traders. Further technical and marketing research is necessary, but among the conclusions drawn is that there is sufficient evidence already to be cautious about the widespread use of degreening.

One way to increase the availability and to add more value to exotic Brazilian fruits is to develop new products. However, prior to product development, there is a need to know consumer’s preferences and target audience. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of different characteristics of Cerrado fruit preserves on the intention to purchase using conjoint analysis.

Conjoint analysis evaluated three factors with three levels each, defined by focus group technique. The attributes and levels evaluated were: flavor (marolo, marolo and soursoup, marolo, soursoup and sweet passion fruit), nutritional information (light, diet and absent) and health claims (aids reduction of cardiovascular disease risk; aids reduction of blood cholesterol; aids activation and regulation of the gastrointestinal system).

The results of conjoint analysis led to three consumers’ groups. Group 1 (majority) were more influenced by flavor (IR=26.5 percent) and nutritional information (IR=59.3 percent). Groups 2 and 3 were greatly influenced by flavor and nutritional information, respectively. Health claims influenced weakly on the intention to purchase regardless the groups. Thus, the concept of Cerrado fruit preserves for each group was different.

This research contributes to future studies, supporting the development of products based on Cerrado fruits and the variety of products on the market. There are few research works using conjoint analysis to evaluate consumer preferences in the early stages of new product development, which makes this paper even more relevant.

The purpose of this paper is to determine important attributes of processed food, consumers’ trust in different information resources, and the impact of trust, demographic and behavior variables on the preference of processed food attributes among Chinese consumers.

Data of 1,267 participants were collected from four cities in China. A five-point Likert scale was used to measure consumer preference for 12 juice attributes. Consumer trust in nine sources of information on product quality was measured. Cluster analysis was used to segment consumers into groups based on their preference for juice attributes and trust in information sources, respectively. A multinomial logistic model was used to determine the impact of trust, demographic and behavior variables on the preference of juice attributes.

Consumers rate manufacture date, taste and food safety labels as the most important attributes of fruit juice products. Among different information sources, consumers place more trust in private information sources and traditional media. The low trust in different information sources impedes consumer preference for processed food quality attributes.

This research is among the few that examine consumer preference for processed food, such as juice. It identifies four distinct preference groups and trust groups, respectively, based on consumer preference for juice attributes and trust in different information sources. This paper provides important information for processed food companies and policymakers to effectively enact marketing strategies in China.