Exploring consumer label preferences for fresh vegetables in Aragon: insights for market differentiation

This study determines which labels should be used to differentiate vegetables cultivated in Aragon in the local market, according to consumer preferences. The aim is to analyse the importance consumers attach when buying fresh vegetables to different labels commonly used to market these products. The labels analysed were “Organic”, “Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)”, “C’Alial regional brand”, “Km0”, “Local sales”, “Local variety”, and “Collective producer brand”. A Best-Worst method, in which the respondents must indicate which label is the most and least important, was used. Data was gathered using an online survey of vegetable consumers in Aragon. The sample was stratified by age, gender, and province of residence. Label importance for consumers was assumed to be heterogeneous, and a Latent Class (LC) model was estimated. Results indicate that the most important labels were “Local sales”, followed by “Km0”, “Local variety”, “PDO” and “Organic”. The least valued labels were “C’Alial” and “Collective producer brand”. Therefore, according to the obtained results, producers should focus on proximity markets using local varieties. Consumers’ heterogeneity in the importance they attached to different labels was found. Four classes of consumers were detected and explained by socio-demographic characteristics, the importance of vegetable attributes, the frequency of vegetable consumption, the knowledge of the method of production, and the attitudes and intention to purchase vegetables from local landraces. Accordingly, different strategies should be used to attract different consumers.