Irene Tzimitra‐Kalogianni, Afroditi Papadaki‐Klavdianou, Anastasia Alexaki and Efthimia Tsakiridou
Attempts to identify consumer perceptions about wine and wine attributes in Greece. In addition, a brief presentation of the development of wine routes in Greece is considered…
Abstract
Attempts to identify consumer perceptions about wine and wine attributes in Greece. In addition, a brief presentation of the development of wine routes in Greece is considered. According to the results, wine emerges as a staple kind of drink in everyday meals, and seems to be more preferable compared to other alcoholic drinks. Furthermore, taste, clarity, appelation of origin, aroma and label are the most important wine attributes expressed by Greek consumers. Taking into account that Greece is one of the most important wine producing countries in the EU, an effective wine promotion policy needs to be organised. In the light of the interdependence between the new activities introduced by regional wine enterprises and the consumer level of information about “typical wines”, further market research could improve wine promotion both in Greek and the European markets.
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Anna Botonaki, Konstantinos Polymeros, Efthimia Tsakiridou and Konstantinos Mattas
The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer attitudes and behavior towards organic products and products produced under the system of integrated management (SIM) and to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer attitudes and behavior towards organic products and products produced under the system of integrated management (SIM) and to compare the socioeconomic characteristics and attitudes that affect consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for these two different certification systems.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on cross‐sectional data collected through a questionnaire survey. Respondents' attitudes towards the organic and SIM certification systems are examined. A principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation was primarily applied to provide a more manageable set of variables relevant to attitudes. Those attitudes together with socioeconomic factors and variables relevant to respondents' motivations to food consumption were used for the estimation of the WTP for organic and SIM products.
Findings
Findings suggest that consumers' level of awareness and information towards the studied certification systems is rather low especially for SIM products. This can be mainly attributed to the inadequate promotion and the low availability of certified products in the Greek market. The study also reveals that the WTP for organic products is higher among consumers who place much importance on health, consume organic fruits/vegetables and get information about food/nutrition issues from doctors/nutritionists/health institutes and magazines. WTP for SIM products is affected mainly by married consumers, regular buyers of organic products and those who consume frequently fruits/vegetables.
Originality/value
This paper provides an outline of the level of awareness and trust of food quality certification systems by Greek consumers, a topic that has not been widely discussed in Greece. The findings can help all the involved bodies to avoid the impediments and develop an adequate marketing strategy for the effective promotion of certified food products.
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Efthimia Tsakiridou, Christina Boutsouki, Yorgos Zotos and Kostantinos Mattas
The aim of this paper is to identify consumers' attitudes and behaviour towards organic products in Greece.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to identify consumers' attitudes and behaviour towards organic products in Greece.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper draws on a non‐probability quota sample of 660 respondents to explore the attitudes and behaviour of Greek consumers towards organic food products.
Findings
Greek consumers seem to be informed about environmental and health issues. They seek information about the nutritional value of food and demand more products free from chemical residues. The results show that most consumers associate organic consumption mainly with fruit and vegetables. Although demographics seem to affect attitudes towards organics, their value in explaining actual behaviour is minimal.
Research limitations/implications
It is recognized that the data gathered in this study focus on the metropolitan area of Thessaloniki, Greece. The specific area though, is considered to be representative of the total Greek population. The results confirm that health, concern for the environment, animal welfare and support of the local economy are drivers of organic consumption. However, there is an indication that the importance of motives and barriers may vary for different product categories and perhaps future research should focus on product segmentation.
Practical implications
Although certain similarities in consumers' attitudes towards organic food products have been identified, this paper records the variation in behaviour towards organics among the various consumer groups examined in Greece, and highlights the gap between attitudes and actual behaviour. Given the complexity of consumer decision making, future research should explore the other value trade‐offs that consumers make.
Originality/value
This paper attempts to provide evidence on the relatively under researched area of organics attitudes and behaviour in Greece.
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Antonios Tiganis and Polymeros Chrysochou
Local food impacts tourist satisfaction and drives the choice of a tourist destination. However, it is not clear which attributes of local food products drive tourists’…
Abstract
Purpose
Local food impacts tourist satisfaction and drives the choice of a tourist destination. However, it is not clear which attributes of local food products drive tourists’ preferences. More specifically, little is known about potential segments in the tourist market. Acknowledging consumers’ divergent inclinations, we explore tourist preferences toward local food attributes through a market segmentation approach.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses the Best-Worst Scaling method to examine the preferences of 311 tourists for attributes of local food products that are known to affect their choices. We employ a Latent Class Analysis to identify market segments with distinct preferences.
Findings
Results indicate that tourists prioritize taste, quality, authenticity, healthiness, connection to local culture and tradition and environmental friendliness over price, appearance, enhancement of local economy, availability and packaging. We further identify three segments: Sensory Seekers, Cultural Experiencers, and Price Conscious. The largest segment, Sensory Seekers, is driven by taste and quality attributes, while Cultural Experiencers prioritize connection to local culture and authenticity. The Price Conscious segment places a greater emphasis on price than the other segments. Cultural Experiencers demonstrate the highest willingness to pay for local food products.
Practical implications
The positioning of local products should target Cultural Experiencers. Agri-firms and state agencies promoting a tourist destination internationally can also use the connection to local culture and authenticity in their marketing campaigns.
Originality/value
Our research contributes to food marketing literature by showing which local food attributes drive tourist preferences. Moreover, we uncover unobservable heterogeneous preferences among tourists.