Fruits and Vegetables Purchasing Attitudes in Turkey: Packaging and Loss Reduction

Abstract

The role of packaging cannot be underestimated in reducing the post-harvest losses of fresh fruits and vegetables. In this study, Turkish consumers' attitudes towards purchasing packaged fresh fruits and vegetables were examined by a structured survey of 623 urban respondents from all around Turkey. It was found that 69 % of the respondents did not purchase packaged fresh fruits and vegetables at all. More than 50 % of the respondents thought that packaging either protects fresh produce against impact or preserves the taste and freshness. While 40.52 % of the respondents think that some of the loose fresh product they bought is not consumed and results in waste, only 23.27 % of them think this for packaged fresh products. Strawberry was the most preferred fruit to be packaged among 10 different fresh products. Analyses of demographic variables revealed that there are no statistically significant differences among different consumer groups on their packaged fresh produce purchase routines, perception of attributes of the package, and the role of packaging on the reduction of waste.

Key words: Consumer Attitudes, Packaging, fresh produce, waste

DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/6-08-05