Importance of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors in the Purchase of Virgin Olive Oil in Uruguay

Local identity and cultural context strongly shape the consumption of virgin olive oil (VOO). This study aimed to identify the factors driving VOO purchase among Uruguayan consumers. A total of 461 participants completed an online survey in which sociodemographic data, knowledge of sensory evaluation, nutritional knowledge, subjective perceptions, and olive oil (OO) consumption frequency were collected. Subsequently, the interviewees evaluated the importance of 26 purchase-related factors using a structured 7-point scale. Consumers were classified into three groups according to their VOO consumption frequency: low (15.6%), medium (36.7%), and high (47.7%). A highly significant correlation (p < 0.0001) was observed between olive oil consumption and knowledge of sensory evaluation, nutritional aspects, and subjective perceptions. The high OO consumption group (once to several times per day) assigned significantly greater importance (p < 0.05) to attributes such as the extra virgin category, Uruguay as country of origin, blends, bitterness and pungency, fruity and green aroma and flavor, and high polyphenol and antioxidant content. In contrast, low- and medium-consumption groups placed greater importance on Spain and Italy as countries of origin, as well as smaller bottle size. Differences were also observed among consumption groups regarding the type of brands consumed. The consumption of Uruguayan brands decreased with lower OO consumption frequency, declining from 80.5% among high-consumption participants to 45.8% among low-consumption participants. These findings provide valuable insights for the design of promotional strategies aimed at strengthening the positioning of domestic VOO in an emerging market, such as Uruguay.