Consumers’ Perception and Acceptance towards Frozen Foods in Gujarat, India

Abstract

Background: Frozen foods are gaining importance because of their attributes like convenience, extended shelf life and minimal preparation time. Because of the faced paced life of 21st century, frozen foods have become the inclusive part of the day-to-day life of many working professionals. The Indian froze food market is expected to reach US $572.54 billion from 2025-2033 with a CAGR of 13.25 percent. Aim: The present study is focused on getting consumers’ insight on this growing sector of food processing industry. Research Methodology and Data Collection: The study was conducted in Vadodara city of Gujarat, involving collecting data from 200 respondents (100 consumers and 100 non-consumers) through convenience sampling technique. The data were later analyzed using statistical tools like descriptive statistics, weighted average mean and Henry Garrett’s ranking. Results: The results showed dominance of age group of 31-50 years in purchasing frozen foods, majority buying on weekly basis, mainly from supermarkets. Consumers were overall satisfied with the product and its attributes such as convenience offered, time saving, easy to cook, etc. Non-consumers did not prefer frozen foods because of their preferences for fresh foods, taste, high price, health concerns, and many more. Conclusion and Implications: The study suggested to focus on taste, price, and transparency barriers to boost acceptance and trust among diverse consumers in the frozen food market segment.