THE CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF THE PRESENCE OF PALM OIL IN FOOD PRODUCTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY IN ITALY

In recent years, palm oil has become one of the most discussed food ingredients, with health and sustainability issues raising in relation to its use. The aim of this study is to explore Italian consumers' perception of the presence of palm oil in food products to assess if and how the recent media campaign has influenced public opinion. An online questionnaire was drafted, with 239 valid responses analysed. The results show that the respondents, well aware of the media debate regarding palm oil, perceive that a demonization campaign against the ingredient is in progress, leading public opinion towards an unfavourable attitude about it. The most relevant purchase motivations for a product without palm oil are linked to the environmental scope of sustainability, followed by those related to health concerns. Moreover, the use of the semantic differential methodology in the analysis has allowed for the exploration of the attitudes towards products with and without palm oil, highlighting how a product not containing palm oil is mainly perceived as trendy, expensive and healthy. The results of motivation and semantic differential analysis are polarised according to a split in the sample between subjects who give and do not give importance to the absence of palm oil in food products.