Influence of tomato characteristics on consumer purchasing behavior.

Abstract

Tomatoes are a key vegetable crop for food security and income in Uganda, yet limited context-specific evidence exists on how product attributes drive consumer purchasing decisions in urban markets like Kampala Metropolis. This study was conducted to examine the influence of tomato characteristics on consumer purchasing behavior to inform strategies for improving product quality and market efficiency. The study used a cross-sectional research design with quantitative approaches. Using a survey method, primary data was collected from a simple random sample of 153 tomato consumers in Kampala Metropolis. Data were analyzed using STATA with descriptive statistics, frequencies, proportions, and logistic regression to establish relationships between tomato characteristics and consumer purchasing behavior. The findings revealed that consumers in Kampala Metropolis were predominantly female, young, educated, coming from medium-sized households, and spending both low and high amounts of money on tomatoes weekly. This suggests that the urban tomato market is made up of a mixture of both price conscious and non-price conscious consumers. In addition, high-quantity tomato purchase in Kampala Metropolis is primarily influenced by product quality attributes of freshness and color, size, consumer safety and price. Tomato consumption also increases with consumer’s education but, decreases with consumer’s age. Therefore, in order to promote tomato consumption in Uganda, traders should grade and market tomatoes according to consumer quality and price preferences, while the government and relevant stakeholders should strengthen food safety standards and run targeted awareness campaigns to build consumer confidence, especially among the youth. Establishment of cold chain infrastructure and specialized fresh produce markets in urban areas by government will also enable traders of tomatoes to keep it fresh and safe for the benefit of their consumers.