World Applied Sciences Journal 28 (12): 2054-2060, 2013 ISSN 1818-4952 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wasj.2013.28.12.260 Corresponding Author: I.A.H.. Ahmad Hanis, Institute of Agricultural and Food Policy Studies, Putra Infoport, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: +603 8947 1094, Fax: +603 8943 2611. 254 Eliciting Malaysian Consumer Preferences for Marine Fish Attributes by Using Conjoint Analysis I.A.H.. Ahmad Hanis, S. Jinap, S. Mad Nasir and R. Alias 1 2 3 4 Institute of Agricultural and Food Policy Studies, Putra Infoport, 1 Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Faculty of Food Science and Technology, 2 Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, 3 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Faculty of Economics and Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 4 43400, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Abstract: The study of consumer’s preferences, taste and behaviour in the purchase of food products are of great importance for marketing strategy. As the Malaysian per capita income increases, consumers are expected to move to the higher level of their food intake, particularly in terms of attributes offered by food products. For instance, the affluent consumers demand for new food products, better quality, new packaging, more convenience, new delivery systems, safer and more nutritious foods and they are willing to pay for the demanded attributes. This study attempts to investigate the demand and willingness to pay for marine fish attributes by Malaysian consumers, using conjoint analysis. Based on the results from focus group survey, four attributes were chosen; freshness, packaging, location and price. Least squares regression was used to estimate part-worths for the conjoint analysis. The findings suggested that the most important attribute for marine fish was freshness, followed by packaging and location. Consumers were also willing to pay for the demanded attributes. The results found may encourage marketers to adjust their marketing efforts to consider the demanded attributes by consumers. Key words: Attributes Conjoint analysis Consumer Preference Freshness Marine Fish Willingness to Pay INTRODUCTION increases and the level of affluence of Malaysian society In recent years, there has been an increasing interest will pay greater attention to quality, as well as healthy and in studying the changes in food demand and safe food product [2]. consumption. The industrial-urban expansion has created In general, quality of food products is largely new consumers who have relatively more purchasing determined by individual preferences. Higher incomes power, health consciousness and who begin to demand would provide consumers with a freedom to make more nutritional values for their food intake. The more purchasing decisions based on factors other than meeting affluent the consumers, the greater attention they will pay basic caloric needs. [3] suggested that consumers’ food to quality of food products. This observation is also choices involve lots of factors such as sensory properties consistent with the results found earlier by [1], which of the food itself, environmental, cultural and contextual indicated that Malaysian consumers are moving towards influences. Several factors such as food-related higher value and superior food as the per capita income expectations and attitudes, health claims, price, ethical rises. Moreover, with an increase in income, consumers