Abstract:
The consumption of processed fruits has a notable increase in recent years, due to
shifting consumer preferences and lifestyle changes. The research investigates
consumer perception and buying behaviour regarding processed fruits products in the
Batticaloa district. The study aims to understand the relationship between consumer
perception and buying behaviour of processed fruits. The research employed a
structured questionnaire distributed to a sample of 220 consumers and used
convenience sampling and using regression analysis, achieving a90%o response rate
with 200 completed responses" The demographic analysis shown that the majority of
respondents were aged between l9-35 years, with a slightly higher representation of
males (55%) compared to females (45%). The study further examined various
demographic factors, including age, gender, marital status, educational qualifications,
occupation, monthly income, and family structure, to determine their influence on
consumer behaviour. Key findings from this study most frequently purchased
processed fruit product was fruit juice (43%), followed by fruit jam (24%). The
purchase frequency varied, with a majority buying w.eekly (33.5%) and monthly
(28%). Regression analysis indicates food safety (p<0.001) most significant factor
influencing buying behaviour, highlighting its important role in consumer decisionmaking.
Both extrinsic factors (p<0.002) and intrinsic factors (p<0.018) significantly
impacted consumer preferences. The study also found notable gender (p<0.021)
differences in buying behaviour, suggesting that marketing strategies should be
gender-sensitive to efTectively provide to preferences of male and female consumers.
But, health consciousness and natural content did not show a statistically significant
impact on buying behaviour, supporting with some previous studies indicating that
these factors may not be universal determinants across all product categories. These
insights can help stakeholders in the processed fruit industry develop targeted
strategies to enhance product appeal and market penetration, ultimately contributing
to the industry's growth and sustainability.
