Are packaging and presentation format key attributes for cheese consumers?

This paper analyses consumers' preferences for cheese packaging. The methodology used is a two-step approach. Firstly, focus groups were developed to identify the most relevant attributes and levels when choosing a cheese package. Secondly, a choice experiment was applied to analyse the influence of those attributes on consumers' buying decisions. Results show that consumers preferred a plastic package with rectangular shape, with a resealing system and unsliced format, with easy opening and providing additional information. However, cluster analysis generated three well-defined consumer segments based on gender, purchase frequency and family size, which showed different preference patterns. The results of this study would be relevant for cheese producers when developing new marketing strategies or redesigning cheese packaging formats.