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Italian Consumer Preferences for Eucalyptus Honey: An Exploratory Study

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  • Nadia Palmieri

    (Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, Via della Pascolare, 16, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy)

  • Walter Stefanoni

    (Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, Via della Pascolare, 16, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy)

  • Francesco Latterini

    (Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, Via della Pascolare, 16, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy)

  • Luigi Pari

    (Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, Via della Pascolare, 16, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

The growing concern for environmental issues has underlined the need to promote sustainable consumption and production. Taking into consideration the three pillars of sustainability, honey should be seen as an important food from a sustainability perspective. Among honey varieties, the eucalyptus one is becoming increasingly popular with people for its aroma and the plant’s therapeutic properties. However, the beekeeping sector in Italy does not yet have sufficient knowledge and understanding of consumer needs with a view to increasing earnings. This paper aimed to analyze the drivers that make people pick eucalyptus honey and tries to investigate which extrinsic and intrinsic quality attributes affect consumer behavior. Data came from an online survey of 403 Italian honey consumers. An ordered Probit model was applied. The results show that consumers consider the taste, viscosity, therapeutic properties, brand reputation, variety, geographical indication, Italian origin, and organic certification of honey as the most important factors that drive the consumption of eucalyptus honey. The findings of the study should help the beekeepers and provide them with the right tools of communication, such as quality or sustainability labeling, thereby increasing their competitiveness.

Suggested Citation

  • Nadia Palmieri & Walter Stefanoni & Francesco Latterini & Luigi Pari, 2022. "Italian Consumer Preferences for Eucalyptus Honey: An Exploratory Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-11, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:7741-:d:847112
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Riccardo Testa & Antonio Asciuto & Giorgio Schifani & Emanuele Schimmenti & Giuseppina Migliore, 2019. "Quality Determinants and Effect of Therapeutic Properties in Honey Consumption. An Exploratory Study on Italian Consumers," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Nadia Palmieri & Alessandro Suardi & Luigi Pari, 2020. "Italian Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Eucalyptus Firewood," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-14, March.
    3. Fred Kuchler, 2011. "Is it Food Quality or Quantity that Responds to Changing Income?," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 33(2), pages 205-221.
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    6. Juma, Charity Nabwire & Otieno, David Jakinda & Oluouch-Kosura, Willis & Gyau, Amos & Oduol, Judith Auma, 2016. "A survey of consumer perceptions and preferences for geographical indication and quality attributes of honey in Kenya," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246915, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    7. Nadia Palmieri & Alessandro Suardi & Francesco Latterini & Luigi Pari, 2020. "The Eucalyptus Firewood: Understanding Consumers’ Behaviour and Motivations," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-12, October.
    8. Nadia Palmieri & Walter Stefanoni & Francesco Latterini & Luigi Pari, 2021. "An Italian Explorative Study of Willingness to Pay for a New Functional Pasta Featuring Opuntia ficus indica," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-11, July.
    9. Shang Wu & Jacob R. Fooks & Kent D. Messer & Deborah Delaney, 2015. "Consumer demand for local honey," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(41), pages 4377-4394, September.
    10. Nadia Palmieri & Alessandra Pesce & Milena Verrascina & Maria Angela Perito, 2021. "Market Opportunities for Hay Milk: Factors Influencing Perceptions among Italian Consumers [Opportunités de marché pour le lait de foin : facteurs influençant les perceptions des consommateurs ital," Post-Print hal-03764785, HAL.
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    3. Pilar Uldemolins & M. Teresa Maza & Tiziana de-Magistris, 2025. "Landscape presentation formats influence consumer’s preferences for origin and botanical variety of Spanish honey," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 13(1), pages 1-24, December.

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