Interaction Between Attributes and Familiarity in Consumer Preferences for Olive Oil: Using Consumers' Residence as a Proxy for Familiarity.

Consumer perception of olive oil (OO) attributes appears to be influenced by their familiarity with OO culture. However, familiarity is often either unreported or inconsistently defined across studies. The aim of this review was to evaluate whether the OO productivity of a consumer country of residence can serve as a reliable proxy for familiarity when analyzing the interaction between familiarity and preferences for OO attributes among regular consumers. For organoleptic attributes, residence in a producing region-rather than at the broader country level-emerges as a more accurate predictor. Consumers in producing regions tend to appreciate the green color and the bitter, pungent notes of OO, whereas these same characteristics are generally rejected in medium- and low-producing areas. In terms of extrinsic attributes, consumers in high-producing countries show a stronger preference for certified extra-virgin olive oil and are more brand-sensitive than their counterparts in lower producing countries. Notably, while consumers in all regions report valuing label information, those in producing countries are more likely to disregard this information when it contradicts their prior knowledge or experience. Overall, the findings of this review offer valuable insights for tailoring promotional strategies for OO based on whether they are targeting producing or nonproducing regions.