Consumers‘ Apple Consumption Profiles with the Region of Origin and Their Market Shares: Case of TRA1 Region

Abstract

The aim of the study was to design product profiles based on the factors and their levels impacting on the consumption preferences of the apples with Amasya, Isparta, Bayramic apples with the region of origin and foreign origin, and to determine the market shares of each profiles. The main material of the study was the primary data obtained from a face-to-face survey conducted with 600 households consuming apple and residing in the TRA1 region (Erzurum, Erzincan, Bayburt). Conjoint Analysis was used to design the apple profiles maximizing the consumers‘ total utilities, and to determine the market share of each profile. Also, Cluster Analysis was applied to segment each apple profile and their market shares according to their income levels. The results of the study highlighted that low-income consumers attributed a great importance to the apple price (41%) and size (32%), but high-income ones to the region of origin (62%) and colour (13%) factors. On the other hand, while the apple profile with 2 number maximized total utility for both low-income group and all consumers, the profile 17 provided the highest satisfaction for high-income segment. The market shares of Amasya apple referred to the region of origin at the profile 2 and 17 for the low and high-income segments were analysed as 40% and 22%, 3% and 35%, respectively. Amasya apple according to other the region of origin maximised not only the consumers‘ consumption satisfaction but also the market share at the supply chain.