IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/agfoec/v11y2023i1d10.1186_s40100-023-00289-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Customer preferences heterogeneity toward avocado: a latent class approach based on the best–worst scaling choice modeling

Author

Listed:
  • Nicole Roberta Giuggioli

    (University of Turin)

  • Valentina Maria Merlino

    (University of Turin)

  • Antonina Sparacino

    (University of Turin)

  • Cristiana Peano

    (University of Turin)

  • Danielle Borra

    (University of Turin)

  • Stefano Massaglia

    (University of Turin)

Abstract

Consumption of the avocado fruit and its availability in the retail market has increased in recent decades and with it the desire to learn more about the market and consumer choices. This research aims to explore the consumers' preference heterogeneity toward avocado fruit in Italy assessing their personal eating orientation and socio-demographic factors. To achieve this purpose, the answers of 817 Italian consumer of avocado were collected using a structured questionnaire shared online at national level. A survey based on the best–worst method was conducted to assess the declared preferences of individuals toward a set of intrinsic, extrinsic and credence attributes of avocado, as well as a latent class analysis of subject preferences indexes was applied to identify different clusters of individuals. The distribution of preferences indexes was investigated among latent classes, which were regressed on the socio-demographic variables covariates using multinomial logistic regression. The results suggest that the desirable attributes for choosing avocado were taste, consistency (ready to eat) and affordable price. In addition, five consumer profiles in the Italian context were defined (named Hedonistic, Avocado fruit lovers, Sustainability sensitive, Value for money and Health sensitive) and characterized in terms of preferences and socio-demographic features. The study addresses a topic that has already been explored, but with an unexploited approach (latent class analysis combined with best–worst choice modeling). Therefore, the results help fill the gap in the existing literature by enriching it with a study that characterizes avocado consumers' preferences considering their heterogeneity in terms of perception and socio-demographic characteristics.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicole Roberta Giuggioli & Valentina Maria Merlino & Antonina Sparacino & Cristiana Peano & Danielle Borra & Stefano Massaglia, 2023. "Customer preferences heterogeneity toward avocado: a latent class approach based on the best–worst scaling choice modeling," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agfoec:v:11:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1186_s40100-023-00289-0
    DOI: 10.1186/s40100-023-00289-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s40100-023-00289-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s40100-023-00289-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marco Lerro & Giuseppe Marotta & Concetta Nazzaro, 2020. "Measuring consumers’ preferences for craft beer attributes through Best-Worst Scaling," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Claudia Bazzani & Geir W Gustavsen & Rodolfo M Nayga & Kyrre Rickertsen, 2018. "A comparative study of food values between the United States and Norway," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 45(2), pages 239-272.
    3. Seda Derinalp Çanakçı & Kemal Birdir, 2020. "The relation among food involvement, food variety seeking and food neophobia: A study on foreign tourists visiting Turkey," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(8), pages 917-928, April.
    4. Meyerding, Stephan G.H. & Bauchrowitz, Alexander & Lehberger, Mira, 2019. "Consumer preferences for beer attributes in Germany: A conjoint and latent class approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 229-240.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Muunda, Emmanuel & Mtimet, Nadhem & Schneider, Franziska & Wanyoike, Francis & Dominguez-Salas, Paula & Alonso, Silvia, 2021. "Could the new dairy policy affect milk allocation to infants in Kenya? A best-worst scaling approach," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    2. Ardvin Kester S. Ong & Yogi Tri Prasetyo & Kerr Lorenzo Picazo & Kim Aaron Salvador & Bobby Ardiansyah Miraja & Yoshiki B. Kurata & Thanatorn Chuenyindee & Reny Nadlifatin & Anak Agung Ngurah Perwira , 2021. "Gym-Goers Preference Analysis of Fitness Centers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Conjoint Analysis Approach for Business Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-17, September.
    3. Alicia Izquierdo–Yusta & María Pilar Martínez–Ruiz & Héctor Hugo Pérez–Villarreal, 2021. "Studying the impact of food values, subjective norms and brand love on loyalty: findings obtained at fast food restaurants in Mexico," DOCFRADIS Working Papers 2103, Catedra Fundación Ramón Areces de Distribución Comercial, revised Mar 2021.
    4. Amaral, Christopher & Kolsarici, Ceren, 2020. "The financial advice puzzle: The role of consumer heterogeneity in the advisor choice," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    5. Áron Török & Ching-Hua Yeh & Davide Menozzi & Péter Balogh & Péter Czine, 2023. "Consumers' preferences for processed meat: a best–worst scaling approach in three European countries," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-24, December.
    6. Francesco Rossini & Giuseppe Virga & Paolo Loreti & Nicolò Iacuzzi & Roberto Ruggeri & Maria Elena Provenzano, 2021. "Hops ( Humulus lupulus L.) as a Novel Multipurpose Crop for the Mediterranean Region of Europe: Challenges and Opportunities of Their Cultivation," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-21, May.
    7. Kayode Ajewole & Elliott Dennis & Ted C. Schroeder & Jason Bergtold, 2021. "Relative valuation of food and non‐food risks with a comparison to actuarial values: A best–worst approach," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(6), pages 927-943, November.
    8. West, Grant H. & Snell, Heather & Kovacs, Kent & Nayga, Rodolfo M., 2020. "Estimation of the preferences for the intertemporal services from groundwater," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304220, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Ortega, David L. & Sun, Jiayu & Lin, Wen, 2022. "Identity labels as an instrument to reduce meat demand and encourage consumption of plant based and cultured meat alternatives in China," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    10. Milford, Anna & Lien, Gudbrand & Reed, Matthew, 2021. "Different Sales Channels for Different Farmers: Local and Mainstream Marketing of Organic Fruits and Vegetables in Norway," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315058, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. László Mucha, 2024. "Applying the theory of planned behavior to examine the customer behavior towards craft bakery products: evidence from Hungary," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    12. Simone Cerroni & Rodolfo M Nayga & Gioacchino Pappalardo & Wei Yang, 2022. "Malleability of food values amid the COVID-19 pandemic," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 49(2), pages 472-498.
    13. Daraboina, Rohini & Cooper, Orrin & Amini, Mehdi, 2024. "Segmentation of organic food consumers: A revelation of purchase factors in organic food markets," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    14. Héctor Hugo Pérez-Villarreal & María Pilar Martínez-Ruiz & Alicia Izquierdo-Yusta & Carmen María Gómez-Cantó, 2020. "Food Values, Benefits and Their Influence on Attitudes and Purchase Intention: Evidence Obtained at Fast-Food Hamburger Restaurants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-15, September.
    15. Yang Yang & Jill E. Hobbs, 2020. "Food values and heterogeneous consumer responses to nanotechnology," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 68(3), pages 289-313, September.
    16. Martin Mozny & Miroslav Trnka & Vojtech Vlach & Zdenek Zalud & Tomas Cejka & Lenka Hajkova & Vera Potopova & Mikhail A. Semenov & Daniela Semeradova & Ulf Büntgen, 2023. "Climate-induced decline in the quality and quantity of European hops calls for immediate adaptation measures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-6, December.
    17. Ren, Xinxin & Cao, Jingjing & Xu, Xianhao & Gong, Yeming (Yale), 2021. "A two-stage model for forecasting consumers’ intention to purchase with e-coupons," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    18. Anna Uliano & Marco Lerro, 2025. "Generational Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Antioxidant-Rich Pomegranates: Insights into Consumer Behavior and Market Potential," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, May.
    19. Marcello Stanco & Marco Lerro, 2020. "Consumers’ Preferences for and Perception of CSR Initiatives in the Wine Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-13, June.
    20. Andrew Manikas & Michael Godfrey & Jason Woldt, 2022. "What Drives Higher Beer Ratings? Evidence From Big Data," International Journal of Management and Marketing Research, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:agfoec:v:11:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1186_s40100-023-00289-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.