Testing the Potential Benefits of Brands in Horticultural Products: The Case of Oranges

The share of brand-name fruit and vegetables is much lower than that for general foods or processed industrial foods. The paper analyzes consumers' choice between generic and brand-name products and shows that consumers' preferences for horticultural brands increase with their appreciation of quality and with a low quality of the generic products, and that brand preferences are affected by socio-economic variables. The theoretical findings are supported by an orange (Citrus sinensis) consumer survey held in the UK and Israel. We found that in both countries consumers assign a relatively low value to orange brands. Consumers who are willing to pay for better quality are those who perceive brands as more important.