Description

Abstract: Using consumer survey data collected in Bulgaria in 1997, this study examined consumer preferences for peanuts in a transition economy. Perceived product attributes and household characteristics were hypothesized to influence attitude and peanut consumption behavior. The effects of perceived product attributes on overall attitude toward peanuts were examined, drawing on Fishbein’s multiattribute model. Consumption behavior was analyzed using a count data model that distinguishes between participation and consumption frequency decisions. Results showed that perceived attributes with respect to taste and price consistently influenced consumers’ overall attitude toward peanuts and consumption behavior. Income and location of households were statistically significant in explaining peanut consumption frequency. Whereas perceived health attributes affected attitude toward peanuts, they were not directly associated with consumption behavior.