The Ideal Vegetable Attributes Based on Consumer Preferences: a Conjoint Analysis Approach

Consumers' purchase decisions are influenced by the attributes that they attach to the product. This study was conducted in the major vegetable markets of the Philippines in order to understand the relevant attributes and the respective attribute levels that consumers identified with carrot and cabbage using conjoint analysis. It also aimed to identify market segments according to relevant vegetable attributes assigned. Carrot and cabbage are important crops in Benguet Province, Northern Philippines in terms of volume produced and marketed. The important product attributes of carrot for consumers, according to order of importance are price, origin, freshness, size, and color. Similarly, cabbage consumers gave the highest importance value to price followed by production method, origin, shape, and freshness. The market segments for carrot consumers are described as: price conscious and origin-sensitive. The former prefer carrot priced at PhP 15 (US$ 0.35) per kg while the latter prefer carrots produced in Benguet. The market segments for cabbage consumers are the: health-conscious and the price and origin conscious. The former gave the highest utility score to the attribute level organic under production method indicating that they connect food much more with their well-being. On the other hand, the latter gave high importance to cabbage with the lowest price of PhP 10 (US$ 0.23) per kg and cabbage produced in Benguet.