THE POST-PURCHASE CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, SURVEY IN THE CONTEXT OF MATERIALS FOR FOOD PACKAGING

In the food market also packaging (primary packaging) can be considered one of the components of supply capable of generating utility (economic) and emotions (even if you consider the psychological aspect at the time of purchase) independent from any other attribute presented by the company.In particular, the investigation was focused on the main food packaging materials (glass, metal, plastics, paper and cardboard), with the aim of understanding the influence of packaging features on the consumer’s choices and purchase preferences. Some products are considered undifferentiated with regard to intrinsic characteristics and brand (wine, oil, canned vegetables and canned fish), therefore consumers find on the packaging itself, rather than on the food product, the benefits sought from their habitual behaviour.It was considered, therefore, interesting to point out the attractive effects and benefits arising from the presence of "strong" packaging, meaning with this term, the types of materials that have high market shares and enjoy the confidence of the consumer, the "strength" is based on personal experience (loyalty) that the consumer has matured over time.This fidelity (loyalty) to the container becomes "a measure of attachment of the customer", and it is inversely correlated with the probability that a buyer can choose another different container, especially following a change of price or other material characteristic.If customers show indifference to the packaging and, in fact, they buy considering only the food features, without taking into great consideration the characteristics of the material, then the box probably has a marginal value. Conversely, if customers continue to buy the container, even in the face of competitors who have higher food prices, then it means that they attribute a higher value to its function.Starting from the consideration that the sensory characteristics of food can only be verified after consumption (experience good), while the quality of the product "packaging" are considered observable and so assessable ex ante (search good), the survey was carried out at the retail self-service's exit, in particular, from the large retail chains with food department, located in major metropolitan cities of Sicily.The survey had a sample of 300 buyers-consumers, chosen in relation to certain factors that describe the individual's position in society (gender, age, economic situation, etc.), the availability of time and habitual behaviour at purchase.The data and information obtained highlight the competitive position of glass by recognizing some of the benefits sought - appearance, reliability, prestige, etc. - compared to other materials which show different degrees of involvement.To identify the importance of these benefits which involve, among other things, different purchasing patterns, a FCB matrix (Foote, Cone and Belding) was used: this tool does not consider, for the selected product (in our case, container), the differentiation between the various brands, but the benefit requested by consumers.