Awareness and Expectations of Polish Consumers Regarding Edible Niche Oils as a Food Product
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report (Previous Reviewer 1)
The authors improved the article as suggested by the reviewer.
Author Response
Thank you for your comments, which allowed us to improve the article.
Reviewer 2 Report (Previous Reviewer 3)
Similar to my previous comment that this manuscript do not bring any added-value/novelty towards the literature.
The manuscript explored consumers' willingness to try edible niche oil and its factors based on yes/no response. The authors did not consider any conceptual framework and no clear driver analyses was carried out.
Despite that, the manuscript reads fine - so I'll leave this to the editor to decide.
Author Response
This manuscript continues a series of studies on niche oils. The previously published literature review (https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031846) indicated the conceptual framework of the entire research cycle and pointed out that the literature in the area of niche oils should be enriched by studying the technological parameters of the process, economic aspects of production, and consumer research, as this will fill the existing research gap. It has been added to the text of the article.
In the following article, technological factors will be described. Only then will it be possible to carry out clear driver analyses, which will be done in the article summarizing the research cycle. Consumer research is necessary to determine whether the product obtained through various technologies will meet consumer expectations.
Thanks for the comments on the text. We believe that they have significantly improved the quality of our manuscript.
This manuscript is a resubmission of an earlier submission. The following is a list of the peer review reports and author responses from that submission.
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The research aimed to learn about Polish consumers' awareness and expectations for edible niche oils, select the oils of most interest to consumers, and identify factors influencing consumers' willingness to try edible niche oils.
The article has some serious shortcomings:
1. I recommend adding a section in which you compile the main research from the academic literature. The literature review section is missing. The work has an introduction. However, I believe that it should also include an extensive section collecting the main review of the literature
2. The research gap in theory and practice is unclear; please add.
3. Statistical analysis is very simple. Please use discriminant analysis and/or correspondence analysis.
4. The scientific discussion lacking. The discussion is very important to add to the work.
5.Please provide additional research limitations and suggestions for future research.
Author Response
The research aimed to learn about Polish consumers' awareness and expectations for edible niche oils, select the oils of most interest to consumers, and identify factors influencing consumers' willingness to try edible niche oils. The article has some serious shortcomings:
1. I recommend adding a section in which you compile the main research from the academic literature. The literature review section is missing. The work has an introduction. However, I believe that it should also include an extensive section collecting the main review of the literature
This work is a continuation of a series of articles on niche oils. We agree that a literature review is mandatory. However, due to its length, it is the subject of a separate paper published in Sustainability in previous months (doi: 10.3390/su14031846), completed in the text. Posting a more comprehensive review could duplicate our previous article.
2. The research gap in theory and practice is unclear; please add.
In order to increase the readability of the described research, the text was clarified. Appropriate wording was introduced into the text of the article.
3. Statistical analysis is very simple. Please use discriminant analysis and/or correspondence analysis.
Simple statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) was used to identify the most significant factors influencing consumer attitudes. The results of the study's large-criteria ANOVA analysis, the results obtained were unreadable and challenging to conclude reliably. We agree that many data and variables require more elaborate statistical models. The following publication will analyze data from previous and current publications as a summary of the dissertation research. Descriptive statistics, due to a large number of variables, will not be used.
4. The scientific discussion lacking. The discussion is very important to add to the work.
Comments on the results of other authors can be found in sections: 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5. We agree that this section needs to be expanded, which has been annotated in the text. Niche oil market research in the social sciences is something new. The subject is not good enough recognized in the literature.
5.Please provide additional research limitations and suggestions for future research.
Corrections made in the text.
Reviewer 2 Report
The present paper aims to learn about Polish consumers' awareness and expectations for edible niche oils, select the oils of most interest to consumers, and identify factors influencing consumers' willingness to try edible niche oils. The topic presented in this work is really interesting. However, several challenges are required:
I analyze the single sections:
Abstract has inappropriate structure. I suggest to answer the following aspects: - general context - novelty of the work - methodology used (describe briefly the main methods or treatments applied) - main results and related interpretations.
Introduction: This section should briefly place the study in a wide context and emphasize why it is relevant carrying out the analysis. It should define the purpose of the work and its significance. In this perspective, this section is too succinct and fails to effectively point out the relevance of your contribution towards the existing literature. For example, the authors might reports on the role of costumers to move towards niche product in general and then move towards the particular of the research question. Some literature to look at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2021.108248
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102234
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129870
Moreover, the authors do not provide at the end of the section the description of the paper structure which is very useful for readers.
Materials and methods: I found this section very important for the readability of the paper. Methods should be described in detail. I think the research procedure could be much more clearly described by means of a diagram also highlighting its potential and limit.
When you mention CAWI methods you could refer to literature to justify it.
Discussions: The discussion of the results is merely descriptive and the obtained evidence is flimsy due to the fact the outcomes are not supported by an adequate discussion in light of scientific literature. You could look at socio and economic spheres. Please see: https://doi.org/10.3390/resources8030151
https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-03-2019-0186
Conclusions: Conclusions must also be revised according to the previous comments. In particular, they should discuss practical and policy implications as well as future lines of research. As it stands now, they fail to extract all the juice of your work.
I hope these comments might help in improving the paper and encourage the authors to move forward.
Author Response
The present paper aims to learn about Polish consumers' awareness and expectations for edible niche oils, select the oils of most interest to consumers, and identify factors influencing consumers' willingness to try edible niche oils. The topic presented in this work is really interesting. However, several challenges are required:
I analyze the single sections:
Abstract has inappropriate structure. I suggest to answer the following aspects: - general context - novelty of the work - methodology used (describe briefly the main methods or treatments applied) - main results and related interpretations.
The abstract has been revised and now meets the publisher's requirements.
Introduction: This section should briefly place the study in a wide context and emphasize why it is relevant carrying out the analysis. It should define the purpose of the work and its significance. In this perspective, this section is too succinct and fails to effectively point out the relevance of your contribution towards the existing literature. For example, the authors might reports on the role of costumers to move towards niche product in general and then move towards the particular of the research question. Some literature to look at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2021.108248
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102234
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129870
Moreover, the authors do not provide at the end of the section the description of the paper structure which is very useful for readers.
The indicated changes have been made. Thank you for pointing out very interesting scientific publications that enriched the scientific discussion.
Materials and methods: I found this section very important for the readability of the paper. Methods should be described in detail. I think the research procedure could be much more clearly described by means of a diagram also highlighting its potential and limit.
When you mention CAWI methods you could refer to literature to justify it.
The text carries suggested changes, justifies the choice of data collection method based on the literature, and adds a diagram of the study's methodology.
Discussions: The discussion of the results is merely descriptive and the obtained evidence is flimsy due to the fact the outcomes are not supported by an adequate discussion in light of scientific literature. You could look at socio and economic spheres. Please see: https://doi.org/10.3390/resources8030151
https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-03-2019-0186
In designing the Results and Discussion section for our work, it is essential to remember that the subject of niche oils is not well covered in the scientific literature, which is an added value to our work. The literature references to the results obtained can be found in sections 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5. We agree with the suggestion that this part of our work needs to be expanded. It has been expanded in the text with additional literature.
Conclusions: Conclusions must also be revised according to the previous comments. In particular, they should discuss practical and policy implications as well as future lines of research. As it stands now, they fail to extract all the juice of your work.
The applications have been supplemented.
I hope these comments might help in improving the paper and encourage the authors to move forward.
Thank you for your accurate comments enriching the text
Reviewer 3 Report
Was there any ethics approval? If yes, add to M&M
The number for study is remarkable, but what are the the inclusion and exclusion criteria?
Figure 1 - maybe sort by descending order so that the readers can compare it easily.
How did the authors arrive at the selection of oils?
Out of curiosity, why is the comparison done within rows rather than within column? & the p-value is provided per column? This doesn't really make sense.
The study doesn't really explore additional factors except the purchase intent and the reasoning behind it. Despite the number of consumers being very high and impressive I do not really see how this study can add value.
Author Response
Was there any ethics approval? If yes, add to M&M
A professional data acquisition company surveyed this research as an online survey. The scope of the data did not include personal and sensitive data. The survey methodology was consulted with members of the ethics committee, who explicitly stated that there was no need for such an opinion. The company performing the survey for us protects and preserves the privacy of survey participants by not disclosing their personal data. Respondents were informed that their answers would be used anonymously in a scientific publication. All gave their consent to this. However, we agree that this information should be included in the M&M section, which has been added to the text.
The number for study is remarkable, but what are the the inclusion and exclusion criteria?
A sample of 1,000 people is standard for this type of survey on Polish society to meet the criterion of representativeness. We agree that we should indicate the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Corrections made in the text.
Figure 1 - maybe sort by descending order so that the readers can compare it easily.
This will actually make it easier to compare results. The figure has been changed.
How did the authors arrive at the selection of oils?
The selection of oils was based on a published literature review on the subject under discussion (doi: 10.3390/su14031846). The selected oils are available on the European market and have literature references. The niche oil market is developing rapidly, and there are more products of this type. However, they are not representative objects of study at this time.
Out of curiosity, why is the comparison done within rows rather than within column? & the p-value is provided per column? This doesn't really make sense.
The columns compare individual factors concerning a given consumer segment. Factors are classified in terms of their impact on a given consumer segment. The p-value, in turn, refers to the significance of a factor's impact on the study. Factors were tested at a significance level of p=0.05, i.e., if any factor reached a value of more than 0.05, it would mean that it is not relevant to the study conducted and should not be taken into account in the statistical analysis. It was indicated that all factors considered in the study are significant in the statistical analysis.
The study doesn't really explore additional factors except the purchase intent and the reasoning behind it. Despite the number of consumers being very high and impressive I do not really see how this study can add value.
The survey indicates the factors motivating Polish consumers to purchase niche oils. The problem that needed clarification was that despite the many advantages and consumers' stated desire, the demand for niche oils is still not as high as it could be. The topic of research on consumer behavior concerning niche oils is new. There is a lack of research in the literature that can explain the situation under discussion. We hope that the research we are conducting will fill the research gap. As we mentioned in our answer to question 4, our research is a fragment of a series of studies on niche oils. They will serve to set the direction for their further development. In addition, manufacturers can use them to improve the quality of their products and/or give them the characteristics desired by consumers.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
The correction made to the article is unsatisfactory. The article should include a section:
1. literature review
2. discussion
3. Limitations
Author Response
All suggested changes have been made.
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript is much improved.
Author Response
Thank you for your comments, which helped to improve the manuscript.
Reviewer 3 Report
I'd like to thank the authors for their response.
Author Response
Thank you for your comments, which helped to improve the manuscript.
