Typical products and consumer preferences: the "soppressata" case

Purpose – The paper sets out to analyse consumer preferences relating to a typical product, soppressata (a traditional Calabrian salted meat with PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certification). Design/methodology/approach – A multivariate analysis technique (factor analysis) was used on a sample of consumers, identified by a specific market research survey. Identification of groups of homogenous purchasers, according to one or two variables, is the objective of the segmentation approach which breaks up the reference market into homogeneous subgroups as regards their expectations and purchasing behaviour. Factor analysis lends itself to this use, allowing the weight of each component extracted from the interviewee to be graded. Findings – Soppressata is a well-known product. The main reason for purchase is that it is very tasty. Consumers appreciated the traditional culture it represents. Originality/value – The possible strategies for quality and development offer new opportunities for producers as they relate to changes in consumer tastes and preferences. The variety of reasons that lead consumers to purchase the typical product oblige the researcher to abandon market analysis based on a “mass marketing” logic in favour of specific strategies.