Behaviour and attitudes of consumers towards olive fruit products : master thesis

Maslina (Olea europaea L.) je jedna od najznačajnijih biljnih kultura Mediterana i smatra se najstarijom kultiviranom biljnom vrstom. Uzgoj maslina u Republici Hrvatskoj seže u davnu prošlost i za stanovnike ovih područja maslina predstavlja puno više od samog stabla koje donosi plodove. Ona je simbol mira, opstojnosti, plodnosti i mudrosti, a glavni proizvod masline, maslinovo ulje bilo je i ostalo temelj za život brojnih obitelji. Posljednjih godina maslinarstvo u Hrvatskoj bilježi znatan rast, a kvaliteta maslinovih ulja je u samom vrhu među vodećim maslinarskim zemljama. Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati upoznatost potrošača s proizvodima ploda masline, utvrditi mišljenja i stavove obzirom na pojedine proizvode te prikazati najznačajnije čimbenike koji utječu na donošenje odluke o kupnji i konzumaciji istih. Najveći naglasak je stavljen na maslinovo ulje te konzervirane stolne masline. Za potrebe rada provedeno je anketno istraživanje na području Republike Hrvatske. Podaci su prikupljeni anketnim ispitivanjem 180 ispitanika putem on-line upitnika. Prema rezultatima ankete potrošači najveću važnost pri kupnji maslina i maslinovog ulja pridaju kvaliteti i cijeni proizvoda. Od proizvoda ploda masline uglavnom konzumiraju maslinovo ulje pri čemu preferiraju ulja domaćih proizvođača. Od ostalih proizvoda od masline većina konzumira konzervirane masline, dok mali dio poznaje i konzumira druge proizvode od maslina kao što su primjerice paste odnosno tapenade. Rezultati dobiveni u ovom istraživanju mogu biti od pomoći proizvođačima u razvijanju odgovarajućih marketinških strategija kroz popularizaciju i promidžbu proizvoda ploda masline s ciljem povećanja njihove gospodarske vrijednosti.Olive (Olea euroapea L.) is one of the most famous plants of the Mediterranean area and is considered the oldest cultivated plant species. The cultivation of olive trees in the Republic of Croatia dates back to the ancient times, and for the inhabitants of these areas, olives represent much more than just a tree that bears fruit. Olive tree is a symbol of peace, ability, fertility and wisdom, and the main product of the olive tree, olive oil, was and remains the basis for the life of many families. In recent years, olive-growing in Croatia significantly increased and the quality of olive oils is highly positioned among main olive-growing countries. The aim of this paper was to examine consumer’s familiarity with olive products, to determine opinions and attitudes regarding individual olive fruit products, and to present the most significant factors that influence on the purchasing decision and consuming them. The greatest emphasis is placed on olive oil and table olives. For the purposes of this work, a survey was conducted in the territory of the Republic of Croatia. The data were collected by surveying 180 respondents through an online questionnaire. According to the results of the survey, consumers attach the greatest importance when buying olives and olive oil to the quality and the price of the product. Considering the olive fruit products consumers mainly consume olive oil, preferring the oils of local producers. Among other olive fruit products, majority of them consume table olives, while only few of them are familiar with other olive fruit products such as pastes or tapenade. The results obtained in this study can be helpful to producers in developing appropriate marketing strategies through the popularization and promotion of olive fruit products with the aim of increasing their economic value