Understanding Blood versus Blond Orange Consumption: A Cross-Cultural Study in Four Countries

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Consumer Behavior
• Agricultural Marketing

Background:

• Understanding consumer perceptions of fruits like oranges is crucial for increasing consumption and informing marketing strategies.
• Consumer attitudes can guide breeders in setting quality objectives for fruit development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors influencing blood versus blond orange consumption across different countries.
• Investigate availability, consumption habits, satisfaction attributes, barriers, contexts, expectations, and purchase intentions.

Main Methods:

• An online questionnaire was administered to citrus fruit consumers in China, Mexico, Spain, and Italy.
• Data collected included consumption reasons, satisfaction attributes, barriers, contexts, and purchase intentions.

Main Results:

• Italy showed the highest availability and consumption of blood oranges. "Liking" and "healthy properties" were primary consumption drivers globally.
• Juiciness and flavor were key satisfaction attributes. Cultural differences emerged in secondary reasons, attribute importance (e.g., color for Spaniards), and consumption contexts.
• Taste preferences for other fruits were the main barrier. Neophobia towards blood oranges (Mexico) and inconvenience (Spain, China) were noted.

Conclusions:

• Blond and blood oranges can coexist successfully in markets, as demonstrated in Italy.
• Tailored strategies are necessary for other countries, as consumer attitudes, particularly towards blood oranges, are culturally dependent.