Consumers' Preference for Vegetable Market in the Midst of Pandemic in Selected Areas in Laguna, 2022

Date

6-2023

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Nora DM. Carambas

Committee Member

Julieta A. Delos Reyes, Adr. Agham C. Cuevas

Abstract

The study examined the consumer’s preference for vegetable market in the midst of pandemic in selected areas in Laguna. Specifically, it identified the consumers’ choice of vegetable market, determined the factors that affect the consumers’ choice of market, examined the purchasing behavior of vegetable consumers, and determined the vendors’ sales and postharvest handling practices before and during the pandemic. It made recommendations on how business owners can cope up with the changing consumers’ preference for market.

Primary data were gathered from 96 respondents from Calamba City, Los Banos, and Bay, Laguna. The respondents were those assigned in marketing; they were selected via systematic random sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, comparison of means using dependent t-test, attribute importance rating and ranking, and multinomial logistic regression analysis.

Among the interviewed respondents, 46 percent preferred to shop vegetables from wet market; 40 percent, from talipapa, 14 percent, from supermarkets; and one percent had a backyard garden before the pandemic. During the pandemic, 50 percent chose talipapa, 21 percent sticked to wet markets, 14 percent acquired from supermarkets, 11 percent preferred e-commerce, one percent chose pop-up stores, while three percent had a backyard garden.

In urban barangays, before the pandemic, pricing scheme, proximity, and availability of other commodities were the top market characteristics considered. During the pandemic, availability of other commodities was given more emphasis together with proximity and convenience. Pricing scheme became less important. In rural barangays, proximity, pricing, and convenience were given prime importance in both periods. There was significant decrease in the volume and frequency of purchase, while the number of vegetable varieties purchased increased during the pandemic among urban households. However, there was no significant change in the buying behavior among rural households. Vendors claimed significant decrease in their vegetable sales during the pandemic; statistical test had confirmed it was so at one percent level of significance. There was no significant difference in the number of vegetable varieties available in the market before and during the pandemic.

Before pandemic, female shoppers, with white collar job, and members of organization preferred wet market and supermarket over talipapa, while older shoppers with larger household and live in remote areas preferred talipapa over wet market and supermarket. Low pricing scheme and availability of other consumer commodities in wet markets and supermarkets made them more preferred vis-à-vis talipapa. Households from Bay less preferred supermarket and preferred public market over talipapa. Households from urban areas preferred wet market and supermarket over talipapa. During the pandemic, female, and those with white collar job changed preference in favor of talipapa, while those with large household preferred wet market.

It was recommended that vegetable markets should be improved in accordance with the consumers’ preferences. The use of e-commerce had risen, but problems related to this must be addressed. Lastly, the government should support vegetable vendors to comply with the consumers preference.

Language

English

LC Subject

Consumer goods, Vegetable trade, Epidemics

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2022 A14 L36

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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