title: Toward crustacean without chemicals: a descriptive analysis of consumer response using price comparisons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date, there seems to be limited-to-zero emphasis about how consumers perceive crustacean products subject to either chemical and or non-chemical preservative treatments. In addition, studies that investigated price comparisons of crustacean products subject to either chemical or chemical-free preservative methods seem unreported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study focused on providing some foundational knowledge about how consumers perceive traditionally harvested crustaceans that are either chemical-treated and or free of chemicals, incorporating price comparisons using a descriptive approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design employed a questionnaire approachviainterview using a computer-assisted telephone system and sampled 1,540 participants across five key locations in Italy. To actualize consumer sensitivity, 'price' was the focus given its crucial role as a consumption barrier. Prior to this, variables such as demographic characteristics of participants, frequency of purchasing, quality attributes/factors that limit the consumption of crustaceans were equally considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By price comparisons, consumers are likely to favor chemical-free (modified atmosphere packaging) crustacean products amid a price increase of up to 15%. But, a further price increase such as by 25% could markedly damage consumers' feelings, which might lead to a considerable number opting out in favor of either chemical-treated or other seafood products. Comparing locations, the studied variables showed no statistical differences (p>0.05). On the contrary, the response weightings fluctuated across the studied categories. Both response weightings and coefficient of variation helped reveal more about how responses deviated per variable categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has revealed some foundational knowledge about how consumers perceive traditionally harvested crustaceans that were either chemical-treated or subject to chemical-free preservative up to price sensitivity using Italy as a reference case, which is applicable to other parts of the globe.
authors: Istituto per l' Ambiente Marino Costiero, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Mazara del Vallo, Italy.
authors: Charles Odilichukwu R
authors: CO
authors: Okpala
authors: Istituto per l' Ambiente Marino Costiero, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Mazara del Vallo, Italy; gioacchino.bono@cnr.it.
authors: Gioacchino
authors: G
authors: Bono
authors: Istituto per l' Ambiente Marino Costiero, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Mazara del Vallo, Italy.
authors: Vito
authors: V
authors: Pipitone
authors: Istituto per l' Ambiente Marino Costiero, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Mazara del Vallo, Italy.
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Vitale
authors: Istituto per l' Ambiente Marino Costiero, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Mazara del Vallo, Italy.
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Cannizzaro
keywords: chemical additives; chemical-free packaging; consumers; crustacean product; price; stakeholders