The demand for fresh blueberries with the label "Stay fresh" experienced the smallest decline after a one percent increase in price, compared to the labels "Crunchy", and "Sweety". A new study finds useful insights for blueberry growers, retailers, and marketers that could help inform the development of strategies to increase the per capita consumption of fresh blueberries.
In the article "Quality-Related Descriptors to Increase Fresh Blueberries Purchase - Evidence from a Basket-Based Choice Experiment" published in the Journal of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association by Xueying Ma and R. Karina Gallardo from Washington State University , Elizabeth Canales from Mississippi State University, and Massimo Iorizzo from North Carolina State University. The study identify which sensory and hedonic quality descriptors of fresh blueberries will likely increase the likelihood of purchasing.
The authors say, "The study revealed that fresh blueberries containing a "Stay Fresh" descriptor on the package had a smaller price elasticity relative to packages with no descriptors or "Sweety" and "Crunchy" descriptors. This suggests consumers are less sensitive to price changes when the package of blueberries have trigger words that communicate a longer shelf-life."
For more information:
Allison Ware
Agricultural & Applied Economics Association
Tel.: +1 414-918-3190
Email: [email protected], www.aaea.org