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This paper aims to further progress in research on perceived quality of fresh fruit and vegetables. It seeks to develop and discuss two models for perceived quality of tomato, including the price variable as an indicator for perceived quality of tomato.

The data come from a survey of 400 consumers that measures the importance of a set of tomato attributes on a Likert scale. The models were adjusted by means of structural equation analysis. Two procedures were followed for model development: the first started from an exploratory factor analysis. In the second, relations and correlations among variables were established starting from the theoretical framework that differentiates among search, experience and credence attributes.

Two models of tomato perceived quality are formulated and discussed. Both established that the perceived quality of fresh tomato could be explained through nine attributes. Some of them can be deduced at the place of purchase; some, during consumption while others are a question of trust. With regard to using price as an indicator of the perceived quality of tomato, both models suggested the elimination of this variable from the model for perceived quality.

Studying perceived quality has received much attention in research on the behaviour of food consumers. Nevertheless, there are not many attempts to establish models for the perceived quality of fresh fruit and vegetables. Specifically, there are very few studies on consumer behaviour that analyse the perceived quality of tomato. Thus, this study is one of the first attempts to establish a model for perceived quality of tomato.

This study investigates consumers' willingness to adopt genetically modified foods (GM) and the role of innovation and behavioral determinants.

A new integrated model that expands the Health Belief Model (HBM) into the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) was developed and examined. A total of 241 consumers were selected from the capital of Iran, Tehran, through a multistage random sampling. The data were analyzed using SEM-PLS modeling.

The extended HBM model was able to predict about 84% of the variance changes in consumers' willingness to adopt GM foods. The effects of net benefit and perceived compatibility on the willingness were also significant. In addition, the mediating effect of compatibility on the relationship between net benefit/self-efficacy and willingness to adopt GM foods was also significant.

This study contributes to the literature by developing the HBM into the IDT to assess consumers' willingness to adopt GM foods.

The tendency towards genetically modified (GM) food consumption and production is increasing worldwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing the general population's willingness to buy GM foods in Iran.

A conceptual model was derived and tested via the primary data gathered from 450 individuals recruited from ten districts of Tabriz, Iran. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was carried out to identify the relationship between related constructs and willingness to buy GM foods.

Results indicated that attitudes towards GM technology and foods along with trust in GM institutes were positive determinants of willingness to buy, while knowledge had a significantly negative impact. Accordingly, the most potent factors influencing consumers' willingness to buy include attitude, which is affected by moral and ethical concerns, and trust followed by knowledge.

The results of this study can help policymakers, farmers, and food industries to make appropriate decisions about the application of gene technology in food production and also cultivation of such products in developing countries such as Iran, where people have little information about these products, despite the import and supply of GM foods.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles of perceived certainty, manipulated risk and knowledge in the satisfaction‐purchase intention relationship in the context of a new product evaluation.

This study uses a 2×2 factorial design with 120 participants and a combination of methods to test hypotheses.

The respondents of low‐risk as well as high‐knowledge groups report a higher purchase intention. Interestingly, the movement from satisfaction to purchase intention is higher among respondents with higher certainty, and among respondents in low‐risk as well as high‐knowledge groups. In particular, this study finds a positive interaction effect between manipulated knowledge and manipulated risk on the satisfaction‐purchase intention relationship.

As with most experiments, this study has low external validity. Thus, future studies should use different products/brands tested among a wider range of consumers and in more realistic user situations. Both product risk and consumer knowledge are multidimensional constructs, thus, it will be interesting for future studies to manipulate different facets of those constructs (e.g. financial risk, procedural knowledge).

The authors' findings suggest that managers should be aware of satisfaction strength (e.g. confidence and knowledge) and risk in their estimations of purchase intention based on satisfaction measurement. Marketing strategies that reduce consumers' risks, consolidate their confidence and educate them with relevant knowledge may be effective strategies to increase their purchase intentions, especially towards new products.

This study contributes to the literature by simultaneously examining the roles of perceived certainty, manipulated risk and knowledge within a satisfaction‐purchase intention relationship. It also contributes by providing empirical evidence supporting an interaction between knowledge and risk affecting the satisfaction‐purchase intention relationship. Finally, it uses a controlled experiment in the context of a new product evaluation to confirm the causal effects.

Some researchers argue that consumers’ lack of knowledge is an important factor increasing risk for a new product derived from emerging agricultural technology. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential impacts and the differential effects of subjective and objective perceptions on Chinese consumers’ preferences for the application of a novel biotechnology.

Taking transgenic technology as an example and employing data from a survey of 1,000 consumers in Jiangsu Province, the authors develop a mixed-process regression model based on Fishbein’s multiple attributes attitude model.

The results suggest that there are apparent differences between Chinese consumers’ subjective perceptions and objective perceptions concerning transgenic technology and genetically modified (GM) food, and there exists certain selective perceptions of the emerging biotechnology. Having a subjective perception concerning transgenic technology has a positive effect on consumers’ overall attitudes, whereas subjective and objective perceptions concerning GM foods have a negative effect on consumers’ overall attitudes. Self-identification generated from subjective perception occupies a dominant position in determining consumers’ attitudes.

Consumers’ attitudes regarding an agricultural product depend on their perception of the attributes of the technology used to produce such a product. This study attempts to distinguish and empirically test urban consumers’ subjective perceptions (self-assessed or perceived) and objective perceptions (obtained from a test) about transgenic technology and GM foods and the impact of these four types of perception on the consumers’ attitudes regarding the application of transgenic technology. In this paper, the authors construct a mixed-process regression model to address the possible endogeneity of the perception variables.

This study aims to propose that there may be a marketable segment of guests who are willing to pay a premium for guestrooms that are cleaned using enhanced disinfection techniques beyond the normal room cleaning procedures. Room cleanliness is important to hotel guests. Some hotel brands currently offer allergy-free rooms, charging a premium for this service. However, no hotel brands currently serve the market that is willing to pay more for enhanced disinfection. This exploratory study investigates whether there is such a segment and, if so, what price premium these customers are willing to pay for enhanced disinfection.

Survey methods were used to determine the consumer’s perceptions of hotel guestroom cleanliness; the effectiveness of traditional and enhanced cleaning methods; and willingness to pay for enhanced guestroom disinfection.

Younger travelers and female travelers of all ages may be willing to pay a significant price premium for enhanced disinfection of a hotel guestroom.

The survey instrument was administered via the Internet, limiting the sample. The study participants were not asked about hotel brand; thus, the results could not be analyzed by brand or service level.

Past research focuses only on traditional cleaning methods. This article provides a template for the hotel industry to explore the feasibility of offering enhanced cleanliness as a revenue-generating amenity.

The aim of the study is to analyse the value creation processes in multifunctional wineries. Specifically, the paper poses the following research questions: can the creation of public goods (i.e. multifunctionality) open up new paths of value creation for wineries? And if so, can multifunctionality be only compensated through policy instruments? Or, is there a form of market compensation?

An empirical analysis was carried out on selected wineries that sell directly. The study implemented the “value portfolio” model that identifies specific variables, both internal and external to the farm, which contribute to the value creation. The methodology adopted is a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach that offers a theoretical basis for developing an understanding of the relationships between group of variables.

The empirical analysis confirms the assumptions developed. Indeed, the localized public goods generated by multifunctional farms can benefit from compensation on the market through the direct sale of products and services.

The study’s findings are quite innovative in the field of agricultural economics and open the way for interesting policy implications.

This paper aims to analyze the current wine consumption situation with special attention being paid to the habits and preferences of young consumers.

The study was carried out on a sample of 318 consumers; 50 per cent of the sample were under the age of 35 and 50 per cent were older. The information gathered was then subjected to the appropriate statistical tests. The lifestyles and images of wine consumption of those surveyed was first looked at, followed by the results obtained related to consumption of drinks such as water, fruit juice, soft drinks, beer and, of course, wine.

Lifestyles are changing and the results found here indicate that the under‐35s are concerned about their health and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is reflected in a certain negative view of wine with its consumption being reserved for special occasions. With regard to knowledge of Denominacion de Origen, the results are pointing out that a small sector of the under‐35 group had only a vague notion of its meaning. This situation suggests a need for promotional activity by business and institutions aimed at increasing the knowledge of young people have of wine.

This study offers information to the wine industry for the improvement of young consumers' knowledge of the meaning of Denominacion de Origen as a guarantee of the origin of a product and of its quality.

This article aims to analyse various wine differentiation strategies (price, origin, type and production system) to counteract the commercial success of new wine producers compared to traditional ones.

The methodology consisted of a survey of 400 Castilla‐La Mancha wine consumers during the month of March 2004, whose preferences were determined through several multivariate techniques.

Three consumer segments were identified: the first shops for wine mainly by price, the second, by origin and the third, by a combination of price and type of wine. In this sense, except for the first segment, where competition by a cheaper wine from other places could endanger the local market, possible strategies would be to continue emphasising origin in a traditional approach and to search for a new wine differentiation based on organic production. Both strategies, which can be carried out jointly, would require government backing in addition to support from the business sector.

This paper contributes to a greater knowledge of Spanish consumer habits by analysing the degree of influence that various factors have on attitudes towards the purchasing of wine.

This study aims to identify how Spanish consumers’ extrinsic preferences for food have evolved by examining the extant literature on food preferences in Spain, focusing on food-related attributes and food-related values.

This study is based on a synthetic review of the extant academic literature on Spanish consumer preferences for food-related attributes and food-related values from the mid-20th to the 21st century. This study uses key economic and social milestones that are most likely to influence food value chain actors to show how consumer preferences have evolved over the study period.

Spanish consumer food attribute preferences expanded as the food sector of the nation continued to grow, and value preferences showed a similar pattern from the mid-20th to the 21st century. The drivers of these preferences were trust, lifestyle, education (campaigns), sociodemographic factors and purchasing power.

Evaluating the extant literature’s contribution to consumer preferences for food-related attributes and values is important because it can aid in understanding the hierarchy and variety of consumers’ food preferences as well as the factors that drive these preferences. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore how Spanish consumer preferences evolved between the mid-20th and 21st centuries.