Authors’ contributionsThe work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. Author SS designed the study, managed the analysis and controlled the overall study. Author SA performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Author MS managed the literature searches and assisted in the analyses. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
The concept of fresh-cut vegetables is relatively new and its demand has increased tremendously. The study was designed to assess the customer’s perception and to determine the factors influencing customer’s decision to purchase fresh-cut vegetables. Both primary and secondary data were used in this study. A total of 103 vegetable customers from eight outlets of SHWAPNO supermarket were selected through random sampling technique and interviewed directly. For measuring perception of the respondents and identifying influential factors, a 5-point Likert scale and multiple logistic regressions were used. The majority of the customers had moderately favorable attitude towards fresh-cut vegetables. They perceived different attributes of fresh-cut vegetable like ready-to-cook and time-saving nature, appearance, quality and hygiene as most appealing. Results of the Logit model reveals that education, family member, occupation, having maid servant, income, perception have significant effect on purchasing of fresh-cut vegetables. Having higher education, larger family and higher income increases the possibility to purchase fresh-cut vegetables whereas having maid-servant negatively affect their purchasing decision. One fifth portion of total customers complained about the availability, packaging and supplied volume of fresh-cut vegetables. Therefore, it is possible to expand fresh-cut vegetable market in Bangladesh by taking appropriate measures.
- INTRODUCTION
Vegetable is an important source of nutrition and food security. There are more than sixty different types of vegetables (both local and exotic) are grown in Bangladesh Sabur et al. . Vegetables can be eaten in both raw and cooked form, and comprise an essential part of human diet as they are the major source of dietarynutrients of great importance. Nowadays, customers are more health concerned and the demand for vegetable products is continuously increasing. Therefore, minimally processed vegetable, e.g, fresh-cut and packed in a convenient way, are introduced into the worldwide market.Customer interest inlocal and exotic taste of fruits and vegetables is growing continuously which has promoted the growth in the internationaltrade of fresh-cut products. Due to customer demand for healthy, fresh, convenient fruits and vegetables, there has been a rapid growth of fresh-cut produce industry worldwide in recent years. In many developed and developing countries fresh-cut vegetables and fruits are relatively new and rapidly developing parts in the segar produce industry. “Fresh-cut” indicates to raw vegetables and fruits that have been cut, shredded, peeled, abraded,or otherwise prepared to produce convenient ready-to-eat or ready-to-cook portions Brecht etal. . The International Fresh-cut Produce Association (IFPA) defines fresh-cut produce as‘any segar fruit or vegetable or any combination thereof that has been physically altered from itsoriginal form, but remains in a segar state’ Qadri et al.. Available fresh-cut vegetables at different supermarkets of Bangladesh are: mixed vegetables, carrots (shredded, sticks, peeled), broccoli and cauliflower, capsicum, amaranth stem, onions (sliced, whole peeled), taro root, taro root stems, bitter gourd, green jackfruit, jackfruit seed, bean seed and green pea.