Filiep Vanhonacker, Géraldine Enderli, Wim Verbeke, Luis Guerrero, Luisa Scalvedi, Sylvie Issanchou, Margrethe Hersleth, S. Zakowska-Biemans, Anna Claret, Marta Sajdakowska, Britt Signe Granli, Michele Contel, IRTA, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University [Belgium] (UGENT), Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation [Dijon] (CSGA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de Bourgogne (UB)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Organization and Consumption Economics (WULS-SGGW), University of Warsaw (UW), Nofima Mat As, PEGroup, Ghent University [Belgium] ( UGENT ), Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation [Dijon] ( CSGA ), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique ( INRA ) -Université de Bourgogne ( UB ) -AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Department of Organization and Consumption Economics ( WULS-SGGW ), University of Warsaw ( UW ), Universiteit Gent = Ghent University [Belgium] (UGENT), and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de Bourgogne (UB)
International audience; A total of 721 consumers were interviewed in order to obtain and compare consumer-driven associations to the word ‘‘Traditional”, in a food context, in six European regions. Participants, who were individually interviewed, had to state the first words that came into their mind when the word ‘‘Traditional” was verbally presented. Frequencies of occurrence of associations were obtained and analysed by means of simple correspondence analysis. The different word associations obtained were classified in 55 classes and then grouped in ten principal dimensions by triangulation. In general, southern European regions tended to associate the concept of ‘‘Traditional” more frequently with broad concepts such as heritage, culture or history. Central and Nordic European regions tended to focus mainly on practical issues such as convenience, health or appropriateness. As a final outcome of the analyses, a consensus conceptual map of traditional food products was obtained. The empirical findings of this qualitative exploratory free word association test provide valuable insights for product positioning, innovation and new developments in the traditional food market.