QUALITY ATTRIBUTES AND FOOD WASTE IN APPLE VALUE CHAIN: A CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE

Fruticulture is one of the main sub-sectors of Albanian agriculture, the production of which is mainly dominated by apples. Despite the development trend of the last years, actors in the Apple supply chain are facing various issues, leading to product loss and waste within the chain. This derives due to problems related to the quality of seedlings, the varietal structure, low level of technology, the lack of storage capacities, lack of labor force, etc., but also as a consequence of consumer's perception and knowledge related to the attributes of fruit quality. Although losses are higher at the bottom part of the value chain, the waste generated at the consumption level (consumers) cannot be neglected either. The study aims to identify the factors that influence the behavior of consumers in the market, analyzing the characteristics that contribute to food quality. According to the nature of the study and the data type, the quantitative research method was determined as the most appropriate for addressing the research findings. Through primary research instruments (structured questionnaires), 286 consumers were interviewed in the retail market in the city of Korça. In addition, the collected data were processed and analyzed through the SPSS program. Accordingly, consumers evaluated the qualities related to sensory, safety, and aesthetic features, (appearance and color) as the most important. To reduce the level of waste, concrete actions are needed from all the stakeholders, encouraging not only the cooperation between actors of the food chain but also increasing the awareness of consumers as important contributors to the reduction of waste.