Consumer Preferences for Cheese with Focus on Food Safety—A Segmentation Analysis

Edvin Zhllima,Drini Imami,Gentjan Mehmeti

doi:10.3390/su132212524

Edvin Zhllima, Drini Imami + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212524

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Abstract

This research work analyzes Albanian urban consumer preferences and purchasing behavior related to cheese, focusing on food safety and related attributes, including origin, packaging, and certification. This paper is based on a structured survey targeting urban consumers. The analysis consists of a two-step cluster and descriptive statistics. The clustering was based on key sociodemographic variables, namely, gender, education, and age. The results show that the local cheese is preferred to imported cheese, and the main sources of food safety guarantee are the producer name/brand and knowing the seller. Most consumers across all five identified clusters preferred buying unpacked cheese to packed cheese. The cluster of educated female consumers preferred to buy cheese mainly in supermarkets compared to other clusters that preferred convenience shops. Consumer clusters with a university education appeared to be more informed about both HACCP and ISO compared to other (less educated) consumer clusters. Low trust in state institutions to guarantee food safety calls for the need to strengthen their capacities, professionalism, and awareness engagement with consumers.

Highlights

Previous research has shown a strong preference of Albanian consumers for domestic cheese [10], as origin is perceived an indicator of the quality and safety of food products [5]
A clear understanding of the perceptions and importance for consumers for characteristics or attributes such as cheese origin, packaging, and place of purchase is important for both policymakers and private sector actors
Regarding origin, which is an important food attribute and often linked to food safety, the results show an overall strong preference for local cheese

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. With the expansion of supermarket chains on the one hand, and the evolution of consumer preferences and lifestyles on the other, the Albanian agroindustry is struggling to strengthen its position in the retail market—especially in the case of livestock products due to food safety concerns and the strong competition from imports. This is important in the case of dairy (and meat) products because they are key elements of the Albanian consumer basket—cheese is the main dairy product and one of the main food items in Albanian households [10,11].

Literature Review

Sampling

Two-Step Cluster Approach

Sociodemographic Segmentation

Results

Discussion of the Results and Conclusions