Relevant Attributes for Olive Oil Purchasing Decisions: A comparison between Brazil and Portugal

Abstract

Objective: To identify and compare the most relevant attributes for consumers when deciding to buy olive oil in Brazil and Portugal. Method: In the first study, 10 olive oil consumers were interviewed to understand and identify the attributes that influence the decision process. In the second study, a survey was conducted with 338 consumers to compare the importance of the attributes. Findings: Taste, type of olive oil, acidity and price were among the five most important attributes for both nationalities, along with brand (only for Brazilians) and country of origin (only for Portuguese). Among the most important attributes, price was the least important and was used as a tie-breaker between similar products. Originality: Despite the economic importance of this market (€856 million in 2019), little is known about the attributes that are most relevant to consumers. This research provides current information on these attributes.

Keywords

• purchase intention
• country of origin
• brand
• acidity.