DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS INFLUENCE ON CUSTOMER ACCEPTANCE OF VINEGAR PRODUCTS IN KLANG VALLEY, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Vinegar is mostly use all around the world for food preservative or condiment, and sometimes it is also used as medicine and cleaning agent. Most of the vinegars sold in Malaysia market were either synthetic, natural, locally produced Attap Seed (Nipa) or imported natural vinegars. In order to determine the demographic factors influencing the customer acceptance of vinegar products, a survey method by using a structured questionnaire was used as a tool for data and information collection to study the type, brand and frequency of usage of vinegars and quantity, quality and type of packaging material of vinegars. A total of 69 respondents of stratified random sampling respondents filled up the questionnaire in selected location around Klang Valley. The type and usage of the vinegar product is significantly depending on the respondent demographic factor especially on races and religion as shown by Pearson Correlation Chi Square at p≤0.00. Packaging of a new product is also an important factor in accepting vinegar product by customer as shown by Pearson correlation Chi square test value at p≤ 0.05. Element of packaging of significant is bottling, quality of material and type of material. This finding is imported in development of vinegar product because we have to take into consideration of the religion and races of our potential customer. Packaging is also another important factor to be considered to ensure successful product marketing since currently we are in process of commercializing our own vinegars from local fruits in order to help eradicate the poverty of our orchards farmers.