Consumer behavior in choice of minimally processed vegetables and implications for marketing strategies

The purpose of this work is to stimulate the debate on the economic aspects of minimally processed fresh-cut production, assessing the purchase intentions of consumers of fresh-cut products. In order to gain this purpose and compare with the literature, results of previous on-field research, that involved consumers of fresh-cut lamb's lettuce (Valerianella Locusta Laterr), are presented and discussed. This work deals with the information collected as marketing and economic analysis on food products object of the research project “Novel strategies meeting the needs of the fresh-cut vegetable sector – STAYFRESH”. Intentions to purchase fresh-cut lamb's lettuce from environmental sustainable farms, simulating a fresh-cut product with an Eco-label, are investigated. Several studies referred to the approach that sets out different types of motives that affect attitude and willingness to pay for minimally processed products. The managerial implications make it possible to assess how much the different types of motives influence the attitude and affect the choices and the behavior of the consumers. To complete, a cost analysis of the fresh cut lamb's lettuce product is proposed. These results are proposed waiting for the Eco-labeling Board (European Union Eco-labeling Board) decisions on the feasibility of an Eco-label for food products. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd