The Greek olive oil market and the factors affecting it

The objective of the research was to highlight the role that socio-economic and spatial attributes of consumers – households exert on their choices regarding not only the supply modes but also the price they are willing to pay for different categories of olive oil, especially the packaged one. Three aspects are successively examined as regards alternative characteristics of olive oil that are proposed: (a) the label, (b) the quality certification protocol and finally (c) the respect of environmental criteria in the production process. It verifies that significant market shares belong to informal networks, which are analyzed to self-consumption, and purchase from either relatives or friends who produce it. The most influential factors purchasing olive oil, amongst others being examined, are the age, the educational level, and the placement of residents in olive oil producing zones. Regarding the wtp for different olive oil labels, consumers are willing to pay premiums only for olive oils being processed by either private companies or cooperatives, with the latter to gain 34% of them in the case they would decide to change the olive oil they usually purchase. The most important consumer profiles are that young educated consumers turn to buy olive oil from sm, do not want to pay less for sm own label olive oil, and they perceive olive oil being packaged by cooperatives as a distinct product they want to use, and pay a premium for it. On the contrary, elderly people are willing to pay less for own label olive oil.