A STUDY ON THE CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE ON FACTORS INFLUENCE THE FRESHNESS OF COLD STORAGE GOODS TO THEIR INTENTION TO PURCHASED FROM GROCERY STORES

Abstract

This study examines the factors that affect the freshness of cold chain products that influence consumer intention to purchase the goods at the grocery store. These factors are temperature control, packaging, transportation handling and equipment, product shelves, rack design, and the distance from the grocery store to the consumer’s storage place. The study adopted a quantitative method, in which the distribution of questionnaires is used as an instrument to gather feedback from the respondents. A total of 114 respondents were approached and participated in the survey within Johor, Malaysia. The focus of this study is to understand the customer perspective on the management of cold storage handling and temperature settings in the supermarket to maintain the freshness of the products until arriving at their storage. Due to the product sensitiveness with temperature control and handling, the goods require special care to maintain the fresh look and quality. Especially, meat, fruit, and vegetable products certified with high-quality seals must ensure a high level of consumer acceptance, despite the inevitable fluctuations caused by growing conditions and post-harvest reactions. The findings revealed that the fresh looks and quality, and safety play a decisive role in these products, which influence the consumer’s intention to purchase. It shows that most of the respondents agree that temperature control, packaging, equipment handling, and distance, are among the best predictors for keeping the freshness of goods that will influence consumers’ purchase intention for cold storage goods. However, in terms of the supply chain, knowledge of the process tends to be focused on people in the industry and not general consumers which affect their buying decision. Although some limitations such as Covid-19 occur, it does not affect the outcome of overall research. Future research could explore another variable that could influence the customer intention to purchase cold storage goods.