Interaction Between Attributes and Familiarity in Consumer Preferences for Olive Oil: Using Consumers' Residence as a...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Consumer Behavior
• Sensory Analysis

Background:

• Consumer perception of olive oil (OO) attributes is linked to cultural familiarity.
• Familiarity with OO culture is inconsistently defined and reported in research.
• Understanding this link is crucial for effective marketing and product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if a consumer's country of residence's olive oil productivity can reliably indicate familiarity.
• To analyze the relationship between familiarity and preferences for olive oil attributes.
• To differentiate between organoleptic and extrinsic attribute preferences based on production familiarity.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review evaluating studies on consumer perception of olive oil.
• Analysis of consumer preferences based on geographical location (producing vs. non-producing regions/countries).
• Comparison of preferences for organoleptic (taste, color) and extrinsic (certification, brand) attributes.

Main Results:

• Residence in an olive oil-producing region is a better predictor of preference than country-level productivity.
• Consumers in producing regions favor bitter, pungent notes and green color, often rejected elsewhere.
• Consumers in high-producing countries prefer certified extra-virgin olive oil and are more brand-sensitive.

Conclusions:

• Geographical proximity to olive oil production significantly shapes consumer perception and preferences.
• Tailoring promotional strategies for olive oil requires differentiating between consumers in producing and non-producing regions.
• Consumer experience and prior knowledge can override label information, especially in producing regions.