Innovation towards sustainable fresh-cut salad production: Are Italian consumers receptive?

Valentina M. Merlino; Danielle Borra; Aurora Bargetto; Simone Blanc; Stefano Massaglia; Valentina M. Merlino; Danielle Borra; Aurora Bargetto; Simone Blanc; Stefano Massaglia

doi:10.3934/agrfood.2020.3.365

AIMS Agriculture and Food

2020, Volume 5, Issue 3: 365-386. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2020.3.365

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Research article Special Issues

Innovation towards sustainable fresh-cut salad production: Are Italian consumers receptive?

Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy

Received: 01 February 2020 Accepted: 08 July 2020 Published: 15 July 2020

Fresh-cut salads are ready-to-eat foodstuffs with a growing market share and increasingly popular with consumers. However, a significant part of public opinion considers that bagged salad production processes have an effect on sustainability. In parallel, fresh-cut salads producers implement high resources and innovation strategies to improve the production process and product sustainability, highlighting an increasing awareness of their responsibility. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a correspondence exists between consumer preferences and the fresh-cut salad sustainability attributes (environmental, economic and social), indicated by producers (on their packaging and/or company website). Consumer preference analysis of 12 attributes of fresh-cut salads was made using the Best-Worst scaling methodology. Among the selected attributes, 9 were related to sustainability issues and 3 to the intrinsic product characteristics. A paper questionnaire was developed and submitted directly to consumers (n = 216), at different points of sale of several large retail chains in the Turin metropolitan area (Northwest Italy). The analysis of the results highlights that no direct correspondence can be found between the companies’ communications regarding sustainability and the real interest of consumers of fresh-cut salads towards these attributes. Moreover, in contrast to the growing ‘green’ attitude among consumers, the lack of consumer interest in the attributes of environmental sustainability underlines the need to increase consumer awareness of the issue. Thus, this research could contribute to the development of more targeted and accessible communication strategies towards consumers.
- best-worst scaling,
- consumer preferences,
- fresh-cut salads,
- purchasing decision,
- sustainability claims
Citation: Valentina M. Merlino, Danielle Borra, Aurora Bargetto, Simone Blanc, Stefano Massaglia. Innovation towards sustainable fresh-cut salad production: Are Italian consumers receptive?[J]. AIMS Agriculture and Food, 2020, 5(3): 365-386. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2020.3.365

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Abstract

Fresh-cut salads are ready-to-eat foodstuffs with a growing market share and increasingly popular with consumers. However, a significant part of public opinion considers that bagged salad production processes have an effect on sustainability. In parallel, fresh-cut salads producers implement high resources and innovation strategies to improve the production process and product sustainability, highlighting an increasing awareness of their responsibility. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a correspondence exists between consumer preferences and the fresh-cut salad sustainability attributes (environmental, economic and social), indicated by producers (on their packaging and/or company website). Consumer preference analysis of 12 attributes of fresh-cut salads was made using the Best-Worst scaling methodology. Among the selected attributes, 9 were related to sustainability issues and 3 to the intrinsic product characteristics. A paper questionnaire was developed and submitted directly to consumers (n = 216), at different points of sale of several large retail chains in the Turin metropolitan area (Northwest Italy). The analysis of the results highlights that no direct correspondence can be found between the companies’ communications regarding sustainability and the real interest of consumers of fresh-cut salads towards these attributes. Moreover, in contrast to the growing ‘green’ attitude among consumers, the lack of consumer interest in the attributes of environmental sustainability underlines the need to increase consumer awareness of the issue. Thus, this research could contribute to the development of more targeted and accessible communication strategies towards consumers.

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