Federico Nassivera

Consumer perceptions and motivations in choice of minimally processed vegetables: A case study in Italy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the usefulness of integrating measures of motivations in predicting purchase intentions of fresh cut products. In order to gain this purpose the authors developed a field study that involved about 425 consumers of fresh cut vegetables products. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaire data were gathered in Italy on a Likert scale. Questions focussed on intentions to purchase fresh cut lamb’s lettuce from environmental sustainable farms, simulating a fresh cut product with an Eco-label. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The SEM technique is used to develop propositions representing a theoretical approach in the context of the process for purchasing fresh cut products. With regard to distinguishing between the motives, the authors referred to the approach that sets out two different types of motive: health and green. Findings – The resulting managerial implications make it possible to assess how much the different types of motiv...

Consumer Behavior Toward Eco-Labeled Minimally Processed Fruit Product

ABSTRACT The authors proposed an analysis of the determinants of purchase intentions and willingness to pay for minimally processed fruit. For this purpose, on-field research was conducted that involved 589 consumers. A questionnaire, gathered in Italy and based on a Likert scale, was administered to investigate intentions to purchase minimally processed fruit from environmentally sustainable farms, simulating a minimally processed product with an eco-label. Via structural equation modeling, the authors develop propositions representing a theoretical approach in the context of purchasing food products. By analyzing two different types of consciousness (health and green), the deduced managerial implications make it possible to assess that the green consciousness influences the attitude and affects the choices and behaviors of consumers. The potential adoption of an eco-label on this kind of food product could be seen as a useful marketing tool for new markets.

Willingness to pay for organic cotton: Consumer responsiveness to a corporate social responsibility initiative

Purpose Consumers seem to be increasingly concerned about the environmental and social consequences of their purchases. For this reason, companies are involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies for their supply chain to responsibly manage the consumption of the environmental resources and to support sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the Italian organic apparel consumer by investigating the importance of consumers’ attitudes towards CSR in agricultural products processing industries and their willingness to pay (WTP) for organic cotton clothing. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaire data were gathered in Italy on a Likert scale. Questions focussed on WTP for organic cotton, with the aim to test consumer responsiveness to a CSR initiative in Italy. A structural equation model is proposed to shed some light into this relatively unexplored area. Findings One of the direct implications of the authors’ study is that companies in apparel industry should try to improve their social and environmental performance to elicit the desired consumer responses. Originality/value This implies important managerial implications for new marketing strategies. If consumers’ perception of CSR practices drives their behavioural intention, firms will be motivated to be involved and to invest in socially responsible practices.

Packaging e comunicazione: una ricerca empirica nelle zone vinicole del Friuli Venezia Giulia

Packaging and communication: an empirical research in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region - Due to some different factors, the communication role of packaging is becoming more important for numerous products. To communicate effectively, marketers need to know how communication actually works. On the basis of this consideration, supported by several theoretical and empirical evidences, the authors refer to the model of the communication process in order to develop a field research. This model explains the relations between the sender and the receiver, and the related encoding and decoding process. The aim is first of all to point out, classify, and analyze the main contents of the message and the components of packaging used by a sample of wineries in the Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli area, and then to relate these aspects with the structural and competitive features of the firms.

Determinants of Consumer Behavioral Intention Toward Social Farm Food

ABSTRACT The study authors investigate consumer reactivity to social and health concerns, social farm food’s perceived quality, and whether these attitudes can be expected to influence their behavioral intention with regard to these products. Data were collect on a convenience sample (N = 361) via a questionnaire. Five hypotheses, concerning the relationships between social consciousness, health consciousness, social farm food perceived quality, and consumer behavioral intention, were tested via a structural equation model. The results indicate that both social consciousness and health consciousness have a positive impact on social farm food perceived quality. Consumer behavioral intention is directly influenced only by health consciousness but indirectly by both social and health consciousness, via the attribute of social farm food perceived quality. The findings depict a particular reactivity of potential consumers. The study provides a general outline of questions or studies that might be useful in the future.

Consumer attitudes towards social farm foods

This research aims to investigate to what extent consumers are sensitive to social and health concerns, and if this can be expected to influence the consumer attitudes towards foods produced by social farms. The study area is located in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, in North East Italy. In order to investigate the consumers’ attitudes towards social farm foods, the relationships among three latent constructs, i.e., social consciousness, health consciousness and social farm foods, is analysed. The proposed hypotheses are tested via a structural equation model that is calculated with the linear structural relationship method. A two-stage analysis is adopted, estimating, firstly, the measurement model and, secondly, the structural model. The results support the reliability of the latent constructs on the observed variables and the hypotheses of the proposed model. These results indicate that if consumers are aware of social concerns such as those regarding people with special needs, as well as the fact that the quality of life is also related to the quality of the foods they eat, these consumers could be potential buyers of foods produced by social farms.