From Shelf to Plate: Consumer Purchasing Behavior of Canned Fish in an Urban Area
Keywords:
Marketing Strategy, Purchasing Decision, Consumer Behavior, Marketing MixAbstract
Canned fish is a widely traded product within the food supply chain. However, intense market competition has compelled producers to develop effective marketing strategies to gain competitive advantages and sustain long-term business performance. This research aimed to: 1) examine the demographic and socio-economic characteristics, and purchasing behaviors of canned fish consumers; 2) investigate consumers’ perceptions of the marketing mix of canned fish; and 3) examine the association between demographic and socio-economic factors and consumers’ expenditure on canned fish purchases. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from 400 canned fish consumers in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, selected through quota sampling. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed for data analysis. The results revealed that more than half of the consumers were male, with an average age of 30.55 years, and spent no more than 100 baht per purchase on canned fish. Most consumers purchased canned fish from local grocery stores. Consumers rated all elements of the marketing mix—product, price, place, and promotion—as highly important. Among these factors, standard certification was the only aspect evaluated at the highest level of importance. In addition, statistically significant relationships were found between marital status, gender, age, and personal income and consumers’ expenditures on canned fish. Based on these findings, it is recommended that canned fish entrepreneurs place greater emphasis on obtaining and effectively communicating product standard certifications in order to enhance consumer confidence in product safety and quality.
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