European consumers' preferences for organic processing technologies: case study on dried berries in Norway, Romania and Turkey

The organic food market is one of the fastest growing market segments in Europe, which has pushed organic producers to develop products able to meet complex consumer demands. In this context, the adoption of new food technologies could offer food products with new features that can potentially satisfy different consumers’ preferences. To increase the amount of organic products commercially available that meet the requirements of organic food production and consumer expectations, more research and knowledge is needed. Berries have well-known health benefits and show increasing market shares in European markets. This study investigates consumers’ preference for organic dried berries produced using different drying technologies that are able to retain different levels of nutrients. The main goals of this research are: (i) to investigate consumers’ preference and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for organic dried berries produced with two organic processing technologies: the conventional air drying and the more innovative microwave drying; (ii) to relate consumer segments of similar preferences to their attitudes and traits (socio-demographics, health interest, food technology neophobia, and habits and attitudes for organic berries); (iii) to compare three diverging European cultures: Norway, Romania and Turkey. Data from a total of 600 consumers were collected through an online hypothetical choice experiment, using a choice-design with four factors (origin, price, technology and nutrients) in three countries. Choice data were analysed with a Mixed Logit Model. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares – Discrimination Analysis (PLS-DA) were used to identify and characterize different consumer segments. Results show that consumers’ preferences across the three countries are highly driven by price and national production, while nutrients content is less important. The effect of technology and interaction effects between the conjoint factors differ across countries. This study provides useful information to organic food producers about consumers’ willingness to pay and perception towards organic food technologies.