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Aim of study: This research explores consumers’ acceptance and sensory evaluation, and measures the willingness to pay (WTP) for the most important attributes of a locally grown fresh potato variety. Area of study: Aragon, Spain. Material and methods: Data were collected from two experiments. Experiment 1 (shopping stage) explored the product positioning and reveals consumers’ acceptance using three measurements: visual appearance rating, purchase intent, and WTP. Experiment 2 (consumption stage) corresponds to a sensory ranking task (e.g., taste, smell, texture) conducted at home once the local potato was fried. Main results: Consumers positively valued the visual appearance and were willing to purchase the local potato. The higher the ratings of visual appearance, the higher the consumers’ intention to purchase the product. Women and participants who purchased food from supermarkets were more likely to buy the local potato. Conversely, consumers over 55 years old and those who belong to a lower level of household monthly income were willing to pay less for the local potato. After tasting, the participants’ rating of the product remained unchanged; however, there was a negative rating of the odor once the local potato was fried. Research highlights: Potato producers and vendors should consider that consumers associate the local origin label with observable (e.g., appearance of color, shape) and unobservable (e.g., taste, smell, texture) attributes. Therefore, in addition to promoting the local origin and the benefits of purchasing and consuming local food, further consideration should be given to featuring physical quality aspects such as the sensory properties of the food that are important to consumers.

Per capita apple consumption is decreasing in many European countries due to the perception that apples have inferior sensory traits and to the dissatisfaction of some consumers with mainstream apple cultivars. Previous studies on the consumers’ acceptance of apples state that sensory attributes have a large influence on consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP). Following this previous evidence and with the aim of reversing this decreasing consumption trend, our objective was to study the effect of apple sensory attributes on consumers’ WTP for a mainstream (‘Golden Delicious’) and a local traditional apple cultivar (‘Reineta’), grown at two different altitudes (high and low). A total number of 195 apple consumers participated in one experiment with two tasks. In the first task, participants were asked to rate five external and internal sensory attributes, and in the second, to indicate their maximum WTP in an experimental auction for the four apple samples. Results indicated that the WTP and the effect of sensory attributes on the WTP were different among the four apple samples. Our findings indicate that sweeter and juicer apples might be marketed at higher prices and that firmness is only appreciated in the case of the local cultivar grown at low altitudes.

Fresh fruits cultivated in traditional areas are gaining consumers’ interest due to environmental and social benefits, and most importantly, the sensory characteristics (taste, texture) they possess. This research focused on two apple varieties “Golden”, and “Reineta” produced in the region of Aragón along the “Ebro River” and in a rural hilly area “Manubles”, which has a long tradition on apple production. We measure consumers’ valuation of apples produced in this rural area through a choice experiment with two treatments. In treatment A, consumers chose based on the information provided (rural area and cultivation characteristics), and then inspected and tasted the apples (as in a real purchase). In treatment B, consumers first visually inspected and tasted the apples and then chose the most preferred alternative. Results showed that consumers were willing to pay higher prices for the “Golden” than the “Reineta” variety, especially when experiencing taste before choice (Treatment B). Conversely, higher premiums were paid when the apples were presented with the rural area (Manubles) and cultivation information first, and then were tasted (Treatment A). These results highlight the importance of using sensory analysis in choice experiments and reveal that product information might increase consumers’ expectations, which may change after taste.