*2.1. Product Attributes*

Product attributes are the features of products through which brands recognized and distinguished. In other words, product attributes denoted to be the descriptive aspect of a marketing plan that characterizes the consumer's evaluative standards when selecting specific goods or services [38]. Product characteristics are discussed in terms of being either intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic product attributes are specific to a product, unchangeable, and comprise features such as form, ingredients, flavor, color, and smell. Extrinsic characteristics are not a crucial part of the physical product such as value, brand name, and country of origin [39]. A study from Norway Torjusen et al. [40] reported that the traditional food quality aspects such as appearance, freshness, and taste, which they named 'observation traits', were important to all respondents. Most of the respondents were concerned about aspects related to food production and processing, they chose food with no harmful substances and the least possible additives. According to Dahm, Samonte, and Shows [41], the taste is as equally as an important attribute as quality, followed by price, appearance, and availability [42]. Knight [43] highlights the importance of factors like 'country of the producer' and 'product quality' and its impact on buying decision making in globally available product classes. The researchers reported that, when the imported goods are of a higher value, customers are willing to pay a higher price. Product attributes play a vital role in this research, which investigates these key attributes' influence on consumer buying behavior concerning western imported food. These have identified during the qualitative focused interviews as flavor, taste, nutritious value, and healthiness. Understanding these attributes from a consumer's perspective may assist the manufacturers in developing a refined marketing strategy. Thus, the above information leads to the development of the following hypothesis:

**Hypothesis 1 (H1):** *Product attributes are positively associated with consumer's buying intention towards western food products.*
