Preferensi Konsumen Lingkar Kampus Jember terhadap Penggunaan Varian dan Merek Terigu di Indonesia

Abstract

The high consumption of wheat flour in Indonesia has intensified competition among brands and product variants, highlighting the importance of understanding consumer preferences. This study aimed to identify consumer preferences in the Jember campus area toward various wheat flour brands based on brand, price, packaging, nutritional content, purchasing decisions, product availability, and suitability for processed products to analyze the importance level and inter-attribute relationships and to compare the nutritional values of wheat flour products available in Jember. This research employed a quantitative approach using a survey method involving 100 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through questionnaires and product label documentation and analyzed using validity, reliability, importance analysis, and Rank-Spearman correlation tests. The results indicated that all variables were valid and reliable. Importance analysis showed that nutritional content, product suitability, and product availability were the most important attributes influencing consumer preferences, while price was considered less important. Correlation analysis revealed that nutritional content had a strong relationship with product suitability (ρ = 0.691) and purchasing decisions (ρ = 0.589), while brand was significantly associated with purchasing decisions (ρ = 0.453), and price showed relatively weaker relationships with quality attributes. Nutritional value comparisons indicated relatively homogeneous nutrient composition among brands based on protein classification. In conclusion, consumer preferences are primarily influenced by intrinsic product attributes and brand perception rather than price, implying that producers should strengthen brand positioning, improve the clarity of nutritional information, and maintain product availability to enhance market competitiveness.