Consumers Perceptions and Preference for Strawberries—A Case Study from Germany

Abstract

Amid a wide array of fruits available in the international market, strawberry has gained high praise among consumers for its unique taste and health benefits. Today’s consumers are more knowledgeable and they are in demand of high quality, nutritionally versatile, and safer plant produce. This has forced both researchers and manufacturers to monitor food production, transportation, and marketing. Based on this background, a detailed ‘online, web-based survey’ was conducted in Germany, which involved consideration of various criteria and consumers’ preferences for strawberries, relevant to the buying behavior, physical attributes, sensorial and nutritional qualities, storage trends, and gastronomy. Our questionnaires were designed based on available research reports/database on strawberries, common knowledge of consumers, and discussions made with local farmers. Results showed frequency of strawberries consumption to be dominated during spring/summer (˜46%). In addition, the majority of the consumers preferred to have strawberries without any physical injuries (˜43%), while an equal percentage of them still accepted strawberries with visible squashy spots (˜43%). Overall, consumers preferred strawberries with uniform color (˜43%), sweet taste (˜66%) with intense or fruity aroma (˜92%) and moderately juicy (˜58%). Results generated in this survey highlight the demands and preferences of consumers as well as indicated certain major gaps that require to be filled along the strawberry production chains for better marketability. Being a first detailed survey, this report is envisaged to be of immense help in enhancing needs and preferences of consumers for strawberries not only in Germany, but also for consumers and growers the world over.

KEYWORDS:

• consumer behavior
• consumer preference
• consumer perception
• quality
• strawberry
• survey

INTRODUCTION

Epidemiological evidence emphasizes consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables to be correlated with prevention of several chronic and neuro-degenerative diseases (Bhat et al., 2012; Ströhle, 2012). Among the wide array of fruits available in the international market, strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) has gained high demand and incurs commendable monetary exchequer in the growing regions (Anonymous, 2014; Antunes and Peres, 2013; Binard, 2013; Bhat and Stamminger, 2015a). Strawberries, being a popular fruit (rather a false-fruit or berries), encompass a rich amount of phytochemicals (bioactive compounds) and essential micronutrients, and are widely preferred by consumers for their potential health benefits (Giampieri et al., 2012). Strawberries are also in great demand in food industries, wherein they are widely used as flavoring agents, as well as a key ingredient in preparation of jam, juice, or jellies.

Consumers’ acceptance, expectations, and preference for high quality fruits are vital criteria, which are all highly essential to monitor production, transportation, and marketing of food commodities. Novel approaches are also being taken up to promote healthy eating (mainly consisting of fruits and vegetables) among children (Bech-Larsen and Grønhøj, 2013). Today, consumers tend to give high priority for a wide array of aspects relevant to nutritional composition, sensory qualities, and safety in fresh produce. Different ways to identify the requirements as well as future predictions relevant to sensory and consumer science have been comprehensively detailed by Meiselman (2013). Surveys pursued among the European consumers have shown ‘freshness’ and ‘high quality’ to be the most influencing criterion while selecting a fresh produce (Péneau et al., 2006). Quality evaluation of strawberry fruits is comprised of many vital aspects wherein several characteristic features are involved ranging from ‘pre-harvest’ up to ‘post-harvest’ levels (from farm to table). Strawberries, owing to their soft texture, are susceptible to physical or mechanical damage, physiological deterioration, texture loss, and are easily prone to microbial spoilage (Fan et al., 2009; Tulipani et al., 2010; Bhat and Stamminger, 2015b). As most of the drawbacks endured during various stages of processing (pre- or post-harvest stages) of strawberries can affect consumers’ preferences and purchasing behavior, it is highly imperative to identify the major hindrances to help dependent farmers and industry. Reports available in Germany indicate total cultivation area of strawberries to be around 13,600 hectares with an estimated harvest of 1,544,177 tons (1,456,799 in open land, 87,378 under glass) (Eurostat, 2012; Statistisches Bundesamt, 2012).

During 2011–13, out of 1,070,000 tonnes of strawberries produced in the EU (per year), Germany stood third. Out of 57%, Germany’s share was 14%, while Spain and Poland contributed 27% and 16%, respectively, of the total production (http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/russian-import-ban/pdf/fv-production_en.pdf). Besides, in 2014, the estimation of harvest area was 14,700 hectares with the crop production of strawberries (in outdoor areas) at 157,500 tons (https://www.destatis.de/EN/FactsFigures/EconomicSectors/AgricultureForestryFisheries/FruitVegetablesHorticulture/Tables/Asparagus_Strawberries_HarvestPreliminaryl2014.html). In addition, in Germany, issues pertaining to strawberries are high on the agenda as they are considered a likely source of food poisoning outbreak (http://www.examiner.com/article/frozen-strawberries-likely-cause-of-germany-s-largest-food-poisoning-outbreak). Today, the majority of dependent families on strawberry farming in Germany is on the rise. Hence, it is the responsibility of researchers to provide adequate data on the consumers’ preferences for strawberries in order to support efficient marketing of the fresh produce.

With this background, a detailed ‘closed, web-based survey’ was conducted in Germany (whole country), which involved various criteria relevant to consumers’ preference of strawberries, such as buying behavior, physical attributes, sensorial and nutritional qualities, storage behavior, and gastronomy. This report is envisaged to be of immense help in enhancing the needs and preference of consumers for strawberries not only in Germany, but also for consumers and growers in other regions of the world.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study Area and Survey Details

In this study, the surveying area comprised all of Germany. The Northern region comprised of respondents from states belonging to Bremen, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein states; the Southern region covered Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria; the Middle region covered the states of Hesse and Lower Saxony; the West covered the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland; and the East covered the states of Saxony, Brandenburg, Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. The web-based online questionnaire was performed by using the “SoSci-Survey” tool (Leiner, 2012; www.soscisurvey.de). The main advantages of using the SoSci-Survey tool includes: ‘free-to-use’ policy for non-commercial and scientific purposes. In addition, the survey questionnaires could be uploaded both in the German or English language versions along with providing pictorial classifications.

Design of the Questionnaire

In total, the questionnaire in the present survey was comprised of 36 questions covering various aspects, such as demographical data; consumer preferences for strawberries, which were relevant to physical, sensory, and nutritional qualities; as well as the purchasing behavior and preservation/storage strategies practiced by consumers. In Figure 1, examples of some quality criteria set for strawberries in the present survey are depicted. The demographic questionnaire covered aspects, such as gender, age, regional origin, employment status, financial situation, and size of the household (number of people residing under a single roof). Questions relevant to buying behavior included the level of liking, source of purchase, frequency of consuming based on seasonal availability, and acceptable price. If the answer was ‘unlike’ or ‘never eat/or buy’ strawberries, then the questionnaire software was designed such that the survey automatically ends.

FIGURE 1 Examples of some quality criteria set for strawberries in the present survey: (a) unripe/greenish white; (b) semi-ripe; (c) almost ripe (red and cone shaped); (d) ripe (dark red color); (c) malformed; (f) soiled; (g) insect damage; (h) cuts; (i) moldy with squashy spots; and (j) presence of foreign matter.

(Note: All of the pictures provided are original and taken at the farm level in Germany.)

Consumers’ response on questions for physical quality attributes included those relevant to level of ripeness, texture/hardness, preferred size, shape, and acceptable level for the presence of impurities and microbial contamination. Questions on sensory and nutritional qualities were focused towards importance given for uniformity in size, shape, color, and vitamin C contents (based on a ‘Likert’ scale of 1–5, wherein 1 indicated not important and 5 indicated very important). Additionally, questions were designed to query about the preferred level of sweetness (sweet, moderate mixture of sweet and sourness, sour), aroma (fruity or intense, mild, non-fruity), and juiciness (very juicy, moderately juicy, non-juicy). Queries were also made on preference or importance given for seasonal availability, farming trends (e.g., conventional farming, organic farming), preferred regional origin (e.g., wild, local, imported, etc.). Queries relevant to consuming patterns included aspects, such as preferred time of consumption (based on number of days) after purchase, intake pattern (e.g., washing, refrigeration), and preparation at household levels. Furthermore, some questions were designed relevant to consuming pattern of strawberries at household levels. To get more insight into the storage pattern employed by consumers, questions such as storing place at home after purchase (e.g., room temperature, cold cellar, refrigerator, etc.) and storage time were also asked.

All of the questions were designed based on the previously available research reports on strawberries (>50 research publications in journals) and common knowledge of local consumers (>25) and informal discussions made with the local farmers (from five leading farms). The questionnaire was pre-tested among trained research group members (˜12 researchers from Household and Appliance Technology Section, University Bonn, Germany) to assess the total time required to complete all of the questions (which was 6–7 min), as well as to ensure the simplicity of understanding each surveyed question.

Statistical Analysis

Data generated in this study was evaluated by using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Reston, VA, USA) and SPSS statistical software (Version 20, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Wherever applicable, besides performing frequency analysis, correlation studies (Spearman’s Rank-Order correlation) were also performed. Spearman’s correlation was employed as this is considered to be a non-parametric version of Pearson’s correlation, and can be used whenever assumptions of Pearson’s correlation are violated (e.g., such as for data which are not normally distributed).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

In the present survey, a total of 345 persons (including male and female) participated. However, for final assessment, only the responses obtained from 318 persons were selected and the others were not considered due to incompletion of the questionnaire. As stated earlier, we used a web-based online survey in this study. Employing this mode of survey is reported to be favorable owing to its multiple advantages. These advantages include: capacity to reach wider locations in a short time; is more economical than traditional survey methods (wherein data collection can be much faster); errors of data entry can be minimal; as well as there are possibilities of incorporating color representations, animations, graphics, and other relevant aspects in the questionnaire (Nigg et al., 2009; Schleyer and Forrest, 2000).

In Table 1, results relevant to the socio-demographic characteristics, such as gender, age, origin, employment status, financial situation, and household size of consumers who participated in the present survey, are shown. Results highlighted people belonging to varied socio-economic status to have participated in the survey who were either well versed on aspects relevant to strawberries or might be interested in gaining more knowledge about strawberries. From the results obtained regarding gender, it was evident that nearly 71% of the consumers participated were female, while 25% were men. Previously, Worsley and Scott (2000) made similar observations wherein women participants outnumbered men. This study, which was undertaken in Australia and New Zealand, was intended to understand consumers concern on food, health choices, and safety issues. As an outcome of this study, participation of a higher number of women was correlated to their interest in the topic. On an average, the total number of women participants (n = 720) was higher than men (n = 205) (in Australia), while in New Zealand the women participants number versus men was 715 and 141, respectively. This observation holds true in our present study also wherein women participants were higher. The average age group of the participants (or the consumers) in this study was dominated by middle-aged people who were between 26–40 years (48%) followed by the age group of 18–25 (˜8%). Previously, in a survey conducted by Thompson et al. (1999) relating to health and lifestyle of consumers versus consumption of fruits and vegetables, age of the participant has been shown to have a positive influence on the intake pattern of fruits. In this study (Thompson et al., 1999), consumers aged between 16–24 years consumed significantly lower amount of fruits compared to those aged between 45–74 years.

TABLE 1 Demographic Data of Consumers Who Participated in the Present Survey

Details of consumers	Total number (%)
Gender
Male	80 (25.16)
Female	227 (71.38)
Undisclosed	11 (3.46)
Age group
18–25	26 (8.18)
26–40	152 (47.80)
41–65	2 (0.63)
66 and more	0 (0.00)
Origin/Part in Germany
North	17 (5.35)
West	165 (51.9)
South	49 (15.4)
East	27 (8.5)
Middle	48 (15.9)
Undisclosed	12 (3.8)
Employment
Employed	230 (72.33)
Self-employed	28 (8.81)
Unemployed	4 (1.26)
Pensioner	3 (0.94)
Student	33 (10.38)
Housewife/Househusband	4 (1.26)
No response	6 (1.89)
Undisclosed	10 (3.14)
Financial situation
Too less to afford	5 (1.57)
Just enough to manage	39 (12.26)
Sufficient	114 (35.85)
More than sufficient	129 (40.57)
I don’t have to limit myself in the least	12 (3.77)
No response	9 (2.83)
Size of household
1 person	69 (21.70)
2 persons	124 (38.99)
3 persons	54 (16.98)
4 persons	49 (15.41)
5 persons or more	13 (4.09)
Undisclosed	9 (2.83)

Furthermore, results on the employment status revealed the majority of the consumers as being employed (followed by students) and self-employed, respectively. The financial status of the participants revealed most of them to belong to the sub-category of having ‘more than sufficient’ (˜41%) or ‘sufficient’ amount of money (˜36%) to cover living expenses. Further, the size of each household was dominated by two persons followed by single, three, and four persons, respectively. Providing details of socio-demographic status is vital as they are the major deciding factors of consumers’ perception, behavior, and choice (Shepherd, 1989).

In Table 2, results on the buying behavior of consumers are depicted. Results showed nearly 78% of the participants to ‘like’ strawberries, while 20% had a ‘moderate’ liking. However, as stated earlier, those consumers having a disliking for strawberries were barred from participating in this survey. It needs to be noted that in this type of survey, if consumers having a disliking for strawberries and if allowed to participate, then the actual data on consumption pattern can vary extensively (as negative inputs can be given) and significantly affect the statistical outputs. Consumers’ satisfaction and consumption behavior can be influenced by the socio-financial status (Brug et al., 1995). With regard to questions relevant to the sources of

TABLE 2 Buying Behavior of Consumers for Strawberries in Germany

Questions	Total number (%)
Level of liking for strawberries
Like	247 (77.67)
Moderate	63 (19.81)
Unlike	0 (0.00)
Undisclosed	8 (2.52)
Source of supply for strawberries (multiple answers allowed)
Purchase in supermarket, local fruit market, etc.	306 (96.23)
Grow in own garden	59 (18.55)
Don’t eat strawberries	0 (0.00)
Frequency of consumption in spring/summer
Daily	9 (2.83)
Several times a week	112 (35.22)
Once a week	145 (45.60)
Once a month	38 (11.95)
Once a season	6 (1.89)
Never	0 (0.00)
Undisclosed	8 (2.52)
Frequency of consumption in fall/winter
Daily	0 (0.00)
Several times a week	0 (0.00)
Once a week	1 (0.31)
Once a month	20 (6.29)
Once a season	76 (23.90)
Never	211 (66.35)
Undisclosed	10 (3.14)
Preferred period to buy strawberries (multiple answers allowed)
Throughout the year	10 (3.14)
In spring/summer	296 (93.08)
In autumn/winter	6 (1.89)
Christmas eve	2 (0.63)
Never	2 (0.63)
Preferred place of purchase (multiple answers allowed)
Supermarket	157 (49.37)
Discount store	76 (23.90)
Local market	121 (38.05)
Vegetable and fruits shop	110 (34.59)
Street vending booth	175 (55.03)
Directly from farms	83 (26.10)
Accepted price in spring/summer
<1 €/500 g	6 (1.9)
1–2 €/500 g	100 (31.5)
>2–3 €/500 g	155 (48.7)
>3 €/500 g	20 (6.3)
Never buy during this time	1 (0.3)
The price is not important to me	29 (9.1)
Undisclosed	7 (2.2)
Accepted price in fall/winter
<2 €/500 g	8 (2.52)
2–3 €/500 g	23 (7.23)
>3–4 €/500 g	8 (2.52)
>4 €/500 g	3 (0.94)
Never buy during this time	260 (81.8)
The price is not important to me	6 (1.89)
Undisclosed	10 (3.14)
Check for packaging date
Regularly	96
Rarely	96
Never	114
Undisclosed	12

supply, consumers preferred to purchase strawberries mainly from a supermarket or from the local fruit market (˜96%), while a meager 18% of them grew them in their own home gardens. The preferred place of purchase in Germany included street vending booth (˜55%), supermarket (˜49%), local market (˜38%), vegetable and fruits shop (˜35%), farm shop (˜26%), and discounter store (˜24%). Even though technically, the percentage sum of the purchasing trend can add up to more than 100%, it needs to be noted that an individual consumer in the same household can have multiple choices of purchasing. In Germany, street vending booths are more popular as people consider fruits available here to be fresh and coming directly from the farm. With regard to purchasing from a supermarket, generally, most of the consumers consider these places to sell strawberries ‘fresh from farm’ as well as the prices are subsidized and more affordable. It has been accounted that the majority of German consumers are ready to pay a higher price (without giving preference for quality) at a single shopping outlet (such as supermarket for one stop shopping) rather than making an effort to purchase in different shops (Michael and Sanktjohanser, 2009). Overall, in Germany, 40% of the population are habituate or family shoppers who try to balance price and quality, while 30% are premium shoppers providing scope for health and quality, and the other 30% are ‘one stop’ budget shoppers who focus on price efficiency while buying a produce (Michael and Sanktjohanser, 2009). In one of the surveys reported from United States (FMI, 1999) relevant to consumer attitudes, freshness was one of the important motives for choosing a supermarket. Reports are available wherein supermarkets are known to offer high-quality fresh produce at much lower costs. Additionally, there are several studies that have provided evidence linking supermarkets with consumption of more fruits and vegetables (Caspi et al., 2012). The preferred time of buying strawberries was dominated by spring/summer, followed by buying throughout the year and during autumn/spring, respectively. The frequencies of buying of strawberries were higher in spring/summer compared to fall/winter. During spring/summer, the frequency of consumption was dominated by eating once in a week (˜46%) followed by several times in a week (˜35%).

Presenting details relevant to seasonal-based buying behavior among consumers is important as various environmental factors tend to play a pivotal role in determining some of the vital quality parameters (e.g., acidity, color, flavor, soluble solids, etc.) in strawberries. Additionally, texture/firmness has been correlated to the time of harvest, growing conditions, and temperature fluctuations (Klamkowski and Treder, 2008; Krüger et al., 2002; Vlachonasios et al., 1995; Watson et al., 2002). With regard to the pricing, the most accepted price in spring/summer was >2–3 Euros/500 g (44%), while during fall/winter, the majority of the people stated that they “do not buy” strawberries (˜82%). The reason for the low purchase rate during fall/winter might be due to “off-season” or non-availability of local strawberries. Additionally, during this time, many other local fresh produce are available in ample amounts in Germany. According to Stevens et al. (2007), if options are given for ‘pick-your-own’ (PYO) customers, then they may be ready to pay the high price for strawberries. According to the authors, this mindset is not for convenience, but for enhanced enjoyment of picking strawberries. Results on the importance given towards ‘perfect appearance’ and ‘taste’ (this was based on the ‘Likert’ scale, and results are not shown in Table 2) revealed that for most consumers perfect appearance was not important, while taste was definitely preferred. When queries were made regarding importance given towards checking the labeling of ‘packaging date’, the majority responded by stating that they never check or give preference to this issue. This highlights that consumers buy strawberries mainly based on the visual appeal with ‘freshness’ being the main criteria. In addition, it should be noted here that in the majority of the cases, the packaging date is not labeled on the container/packaging of fresh produce in Germany.

Statistical analysis of the generated data revealed a non-significant correlation between the accepted price during spring/summer and financial situation. In addition, there was no significant correlation recorded between the importance given for price and the financial situation, which indicates that the price of strawberries was not important for consumers who are financially better off. However, no significant correlation was observed between the accepted price and quality (strawberries with injuries or defects and bruises).

TABLE 3 Consumers’ Response on Physical Quality Attributes of Strawberries

Questions	Total number (%)
Will you accept physically injured strawberries during purchasing (multiple answers allowed)
With signs of shrivel or dehydration	13 (4.09)
Cuts	100 (31.45)
Frost damage	85 (26.73)
Insect damage	53 (16.67)
Squashy spots	99 (31.13)
No injuries accepted	138 (43.40)
Acceptance of mold while purchasing strawberries
I never buy strawberries if mold is visible	292 (91.82)
I would buy them if only a few strawberries in a container are affected	17 (5.35)
I never pay attention to mold while purchasing strawberries	2 (0.63)
Undisclosed	7 (2.20)
Preferred level of ripeness/color
Unripe (greenish-white)	0 (0.00)
Semi-ripe (mixed color of green and pink)	0 (0.00)
Almost ripe (pink to bright red)	2 (0.63)
Ripe (red)	302 (94.97)
No preference	5 (1.57)
Undisclosed	9 (2.83)
Preferred level of hardness/texture
Smooth	14 (4.40)
Moderate	212 (66.67)
Hard/firmer	70 (22.01)
No preference	12 (3.77)
Undisclosed	10 (3.14)
Preferred size
Small	11 (3.46)
Medium	199 (62.58)
Big	36 (11.32)
No preference	64 (20.13)
Undisclosed	8 (2.52)
Preferred shapes (multiple answers allowed)
Malformed	218 (68.55)
Oblate	235 (73.90)
Globose	243 (76.42)
Cone	300 (94.34)
Wedged	259 (81.45)
Accept impurities (multiple answers allowed)
Dusty	172 (54.09)
Soiled	171 (53.77)
Unwanted foreign bodies such straw or plastic pieces	230 (72.33)
No impurities/clean and shiny surface	51 (16.04)

Results attained for the questions relevant to consumers’ responses for physical qualities are depicted in Table 3. Accordingly, the majority of the consumers preferred to have strawberries without any physical injuries (˜43%), while an equal percentage of them still accepted strawberries with visible squashy spots (˜43%). Nevertheless, many of the respondents accepted strawberries with physical cuts, frost damage, insect damage, or with signs of shrivel or dehydration. Invasion by fungi or molds (such as Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium spp., Mucor spp., Phomopsis spp., Rhizopus stolonifer) at field level or during post-harvest preservation levels, can affect the overall quality and acceptability of strawberries (Abada et al., 2002). Results of this survey clearly indicated the majority of the consumers (˜92%) having had basic knowledge on the presence of molds inhabiting strawberries and preferred not to buy them. Earlier (Safley et al., 2004) it was pointed out that ‘field weather conditions’ influence the quality of strawberries and choosing preferences of PYO customers.

With regard to the preferred levels of ripeness and color, nearly 95% of the consumers favored ‘ripe’ and ‘red’ colored berries. Ripened and red berries might have been preferred as these are generally considered (in Germany) to be sweet, juicy, and tasty compared to others, and might be entirely based on previous eating experiences, whereas a ‘moderate’ hardness/texture was preferred by 67% of respondents compared to hard/firmer or smooth textures. Moderate texture might be correlated to red and ripe berries, while hard texture can be correlated to unripe/semi-green berries. Smooth berries are generally over-ripe with a tinge of fermented taste and aroma, and often are recognized to have squashy spots. However, this group of berries can also find its use in preparation of certain selected bakery products. With regard to the preferred size and shape, most of the consumers’ preferred medium-sized strawberries and with a typical cone or wedge shape. Nonetheless, other shapes like globose, oblate, or malformed strawberries were also acceptable. On the other hand, malformed strawberries were still preferred, as consumers might be of the opinion that these are local berries without undergoing any ‘pre-determined’ marketing strategies; unlike that of cone- or wedge-shaped ‘perfect’ strawberries.

In Table 4, consumers’ preferences given for the organoleptic or the sensory qualities are highlighted, some of which were based on the ‘Likert’ scale. Consumption of food and visualizing their qualities entirely depends on the consumers’ health conditions, preferences for products, as well as on their psychological contentment. Providing adequate information on the sensorial qualities of a produce is of importance to nutritionists, producers, as well as for marketing purposes (Ismail et al., 2001; Lyon, 1990). In addition, imparting sufficient details on the sensory characteristics is important for marketing purposes too. Of late, ‘check-all-that-apply’ (CATA) questions are becoming quite popular to analyze the sensory preference of consumers. CATA includes ‘multiple choice questions’, which is of practical use in sensorial and consumer science-based research, and can be very helpful in characterizing the consumers’ needs (Ares and Jaeger, 2013). Some of the critical information has also been provided by using CATA questions for sensory characterization in strawberry cultivars (Lado et al., 2010). Overall, in this study, the majority of the consumers did not give a preference for uniformity in size or in shape. However, most of them preferred to have strawberries with uniform color/visual appeal and favored sweet strawberries with intense or fruity aroma and moderate juiciness. The reason for preferring moderately juicy strawberries might be attributed to the ‘easy to handle’ conjecture when compared to smooth and very juicy strawberries. Observations made relevant to freshness, taste, and aroma correlate with earlier reports wherein consumers have indicated these as the most important criteria while purchasing a fresh produce (Babicz-Zielinska and Zagorska, 1998; Ragaert et al., 2004).

TABLE 4 Consumers’ Response on Preferred Sensory and Nutritional Qualities in Strawberries

Importance of uniformity in size (based on Likert scale)
1 (not important)	144 (45.28)
2	102 (32.08)
3 (moderate)	51 (16.04)
4 (important)	8 (2.52)
5 (very important)	2 (0.63)
Undisclosed	11 (3.46)
Importance of uniformity in shape (based on Likert scale)
1 (not important)	111 (34.91)
2	85 (26.73)
3	60 (18.87)
4	42 (13.21)
5 (very important)	10 (3.14)
Undisclosed	10 (3.14)
Importance of uniformity in color (based on Likert scale)
1 (not important)	37 (11.64)
2	25 (7.86)
3	66 (20.75)
4	138 (43.40)
5 (very important)	41 (12.89)
Undisclosed	11 (3.46)
Importance of high content in vitamin C (based on Likert scale)
1 (not important)	14 (4.40)
2	22 (6.92)
3	52 (16.35)
4	89 (27.99)
5 (very important)	131 (41.19)
Undisclosed	10 (3.14)
Preferred level of sweetness
Sweet	209 (65.72)
Moderate mixture of sweet and sour	100 (31.45)
Sour	1 (0.31)
Undisclosed	8 (2.52)
Preferred aroma
Fruity or intense	293 (92.14)
Mild	17 (5.35)
Not fruity	0 (0.00)
Undisclosed	8 (2.52)
Preferred level of juiciness
Very juicy	120 (37.74)
Moderately juicy	186 (58.49)
Non-juicy	3 (0.94)
Undisclosed	9 (2.83)

TABLE 5 Strawberry Consuming Patterns and Preference for Farming and Origin

Questions	Total number (%)
Preferred time of consumption after purchase
Immediately after purchase (0 days)	180 (56.60)
After 1–2 days	117 (36.79)
After 3 or more days	11 (3.46)
Undisclosed	10 (3.14)
Way of eating strawberries at home
Washed	299 (94.03)
Unwashed	7 (2.20)
Undisclosed	12 (3.77)
Refrigerated	111 (34.91)
Not refrigerated	147 (46.23)
Undisclosed	60 (18.87)
Preparation of strawberries at home (multiple answers were allowed)
Plain	177 (55.66)
Added with sugar	144 (45.28)
Bakery items, such as cake	121 (38.05)
Jam	77 (24.21)
Others	63 (19.81)
Other ways of preparation of strawberries at home
With dairy products (milk, buttermilk, cream, curd cheese, yogurt)	32 (10.06)
Milkshake	4 (1.26)
Punch/cocktail	6 (1.89)
Liqueur	1 (0.31)
Marinated	1 (0.31)
Ice cream	4 (1.26)
Frozen	4 (1.26)
Fruit salad	4 (1.26)
Mashed/smoothie	5 (1.57)
Muesli	2 (0.63)
Preferred kind of farming
Conventional farming (chemicals/artificial fertilizers)	67 (21.07)
Organic farming	111 (34.91)
No preference	132 (41.51)
Undisclosed	8 (2.52)
Preferred origin of strawberries
Wild	4 (1.26)
Grown in own garden	46 (14.47)
Locally grown	139 (43.71)
Grown in Germany	91 (28.62)
Imported from other countries	3 (0.94)
No preference	28 (8.81)
Undisclosed	7 (2.20)

Additionally, in this survey, the majority of the consumers opined that it is highly important that strawberries are rich in vitamin C (˜41%). Previously, nutritional value and consumers preference for strawberries has been attributed directly to their high vitamin C levels (Sanz et al., 1999; Schöpplein et al., 2002). Preferring high vitamin C containing strawberries by consumers in this survey indicates the basic knowledge and health consciousness of the consumers in Germany. The responses obtained relevant to consumption pattern and preferences on the growing conditions of strawberries are depicted in Table 5. The majority of the consumers (˜57%) preferred to eat strawberries immediately after purchase, while 37% preferred to eat them within 1–2 days after purchase. The possible reason for this can be attributed to the presumed notion that strawberries remain ‘fresh’ with retention of aroma, taste, and texture, which in most of the cases are compromised on long-term storage. In one of the surveys conducted in Germany by Ag (1981), it has been indicated that nearly 76% of consumers judge ‘freshness’ as an integral and most important criterion when determining the quality during purchase of fresh produce. Moreover, consumers have opined ‘freshness’ to be determined based on the difference between arrival time and purchase time of a product in the market (Cardello and Schutz, 2003). Further, nearly 94% of respondents indicated that they would prefer to wash the strawberries before consumption. This highlights the fact that consumers have adequate knowledge on the use of ‘chemicals’ along the processing stages or the need of ‘cleanliness’.

Refrigerating strawberries during post-harvest stages can play a prominent role in deciding the overall qualities. In this survey, the majority of the consumers did not refrigerate, while only 35% refrigerated immediately after purchase. Maintaining strawberries at an appropriate temperature (at 0°C) and relative humidity (between 90–95%) is a vital factor to prevent undesirable quality changes (Kader, 1990). To identify the consumption pattern at the household level, a series of questions were also posted, among which most of the consumers preferred to consume strawberries directly (˜56%) or with added sugar (˜45%), or as a bakery item, such as cake (˜38%) and jam (˜24%). Other ways of consumption included eating with dairy products, milkshakes, etc. Providing details on the consumption patterns is very important for improvising marketing strategies.

Furthermore, with regard to queries made on the importance of farming practices, the majority had no preference (˜42%), while 35% preferred organically grown strawberries. Nearly 21% of participants preferred conventional farming of strawberries, which is most common and encompasses the use of chemicals or artificial fertilizers. Survey details pertaining towards organic farming is very important, as Germany is reported to be one of the imperative organic markets in the EU (Sahota, 2009). Even though environmental awareness, health concerns, nutrition, and safety, as well as the product’s freshness, are considered to be important determinants for choosing organic foods; the dietary patterns, search costs, and awareness of labeling organic foods can become strong predictors of organic food purchases (Bravo et al., 2013). Besides, the credentials set forth regarding labeling and promoting organically grown foods holds a high value in the European market (Janssen and Hamm, 2012). In the present survey, consumers gave high importance for regional origin and growing season of strawberries (see Table 5). Locally grown strawberries were preferred more compared to those imported from other countries/region of origin. The reasons for opting for locally grown strawberries might be the conception among consumers that these berries are fresh with shorter storage period compared to those of imported ones. Above and beyond, most of the consumers or the respondents of this survey in Germany being well educated might as well be trying to support the local farmers and the local dependent industries, which in turn might prove to very helpful to improve the region’s economy. Previously, a report was available wherein consumers tend to prefer locally grown fruits over imported fruits, and this decision was based on the culture, region, and socio-economic differences (Sun and Collins, 2004). Also, reports are available wherein consumers’ purchasing behavior are believed to be dependent on the information provided relevant to country of origin as well as ethnocentrism, which can highly influence consumers’ perceptions towards domestic or imported food products (Juric and Worsley, 1998). In the EU, a prominent share of the total turnover in the food sector is dependent on the ‘origin’ labeled products. Additionally, reports have been cited wherein the origin of a product is known to influence a consumer regarding a product evaluation and purchase behavior (Profeta et al., 2012). Contradictorily, the significance of a product in relation to the country of origin and decision making or the attitude of consumers has also been questioned and criticized very effectively (Liefeld, 2004). Finally, questions relevant to storage behavior were queried in order to understand, design, and recommend appropriate storage techniques for strawberries. The responses indicated that maximum people preferred to store strawberries in a refrigerator after purchase, followed by storing at room temperature or in a cold cellar. Queries were also made regarding reasons for not refrigerating strawberries, for which the majority of the respondents stated that they preferred to consume strawberries immediately after purchase without any storage, while some of them (˜46%) felt there will be a loss of taste and aroma if refrigerated. Additionally, respondents replied that they would accept novel cold storage techniques, while some gave negative opinions.

In conclusion, in the present study, strawberries were taken as a model system to monitor consumers’ awareness and preference for quality and safety in Germany. The results generated from this survey are expected to be useful to overcome some of the common problems faced by the dependent farmers, understand the supply chain dynamics in a better way, help in developing mutual networks along the supply chains, identify the buying behavior of consumers, as well as help the local dependent industries in a sustainable way.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interests in this report.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical help rendered by Dr. Gereon Broil, Mr. Emir Lasic, Mrs. Marina Niestrath, and group members of Household and Appliance Technology, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Bonn, Germany.

FUNDING

The first author (RB) thanks the ‘International Bureau of the German Ministry of Education and Research,’ Germany for the research funding provided under the prestigious ‘German Fellowship Programme for Science and Technology Awardees’.

Additional information

Funding

The first author (RB) thanks the ‘International Bureau of the German Ministry of Education and Research,’ Germany for the research funding provided under the prestigious ‘German Fellowship Programme for Science and Technology Awardees’.