A influência dos consumidores de queijos artesanais na intenção de compra

Abstract

There is a growing consumer interest in purchasing local foods, including artisanal cheeses. However, there is a lack of empirical studies that address consumer perceptions of local foods, particularly with regard to risk perception and the influence of consumer clusters on purchase intention. This study aims to identify market segments in the purchase of artisanal cheeses and their influence on risk perception and purchase intention. The selected consumers were those of Cabacinha and Canastra cheeses, residing in or having a connection to the region. Data collection was conducted through printed questionnaires, resulting in 343 validated responses. Consumers were clustered using the TwoStep method, and the influence of these clusters on purchase intention was analyzed through the Kruskal-Wallis test. Consumers of Canastra cheese with a high level of education who value certification seals, despite perceiving high risks, exhibit a greater purchase intention than those with lower education levels who disregard certification and have a lower risk perception. In addition to contributing to the academic literature, this study provides valuable insights for artisanal cheese producers by outlining consumer profiles, thus offering support to promote rural entrepreneurship.