Trends, Knowledge Structure, and Scientific Collaboration Patterns in Customer Experience Research on Organic Products: A Scientometric Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric and network-based analysis of 229 peer-reviewed articles (2010–2025) focusing on customer experience within the organic products domain. With the rapid expansion of the organic food market and growing consumer interest in sustainability, health, authenticity, food safety, and ethical concerns, customer experience has become a crucial factor in understanding purchasing behavior. Despite the increasing number of studies on organic consumption, consolidated knowledge regarding the intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and collaboration patterns remains limited. Previous reviews have typically been restricted to specific subthemes such as consumer attitudes, willingness to pay, or food safety, or have concentrated on individual geographic regions. In contrast, this study aims to provide a holistic overview of the global research landscape by examining key bibliometric indicators, identifying leading scholars, institutions, and countries, and mapping the most influential journals and articles.Methodology: Data collection and screening were conducted following PRISMA guidelines to ensure transparency and replicability. The search was performed exclusively in the Web of Science database, selected for its broad coverage and reliability in bibliometric studies. A total of 438 initial records were retrieved using Boolean combinations of keywords related to “customer experience” and “organic products.” After removing duplicates, limiting the document types to research articles, reviews, and conference papers, restricting the time span to 2010–2025, and excluding non-English sources, the dataset was reduced to 334 records. Through independent abstract screening by two reviewers, 229 articles were confirmed for the final analysis. Bibliometric evaluation employed both VOSviewer for network visualization and the Bibliometrix R package for quantitative indicators. Variables analyzed included citation counts, h-index, g-index, and m-index, as well as patterns of co-authorship (single- versus multi-country publications), institutional productivity, and keyword co-occurrence. This combined approach enabled both quantitative assessment and qualitative interpretation of intellectual linkages, thematic clusters, and evolving research fronts.Findings: The results reveal that China has emerged as the most prolific contributor, with 24 publications (10.5%), followed by the USA, Italy, India, Spain, and Germany. While China’s output is mainly characterized by domestic collaboration, countries such as Italy, Turkey, and the United Kingdom demonstrate higher levels of international cooperation, reflecting a more globalized research approach. Institutional analysis shows that European universities play a central role in cross-border partnerships, whereas Asian institutions dominate in terms of volume. At the journal level, the British Food Journal stands out with 35 articles (15.3%) and 922 citations, exhibiting the highest h-index and g-index among the analyzed sources. The Journal of Cleaner Production, despite publishing only 12 articles, recorded the largest total citations (1,457), highlighting its strong impact. Additionally, Sustainability (24 articles), FOODS (19 articles), and Food Quality and Preference (13 articles) also rank among the leading journals, with a strong focus on sustainability, food sciences, and consumer behavior. Collectively, these outlets have significantly shaped the scientific discourse on customer experience in organic product markets. Keyword co-occurrence analysis further highlights the evolution of the field: early studies emphasized consumer awareness, demand, and general attitudes, while recent years have seen a shift toward concepts such as purchase intention, perceived value, consumer trust, and green branding. Emerging terms like “life-cycle assessment,” “digital marketing,” and “cross-cultural behavior” indicate the diversification of research themes and the growing interdisciplinarity of the field.Conclusion: This study provides a structured overview of the evolving research landscape on customer experience in organic product markets. The findings highlight the interdisciplinary character and dynamic growth of the field, as well as its geographic diversity, with China leading in publication output, while European and Southeast Asian scholars play a central role in shaping conceptual development through cross-border collaborations. The prominence of themes such as consumer trust, sustainability, authenticity, and purchase intention reflects global trends in marketing ethics and consumer behavior. Simultaneously, the identification of emerging areas—such as digital communication strategies, green branding, and cross-cultural differences—points to promising directions for future research. The study underscores the value of bibliometric analysis as a methodological tool to consolidate fragmented knowledge, map intellectual structures, and reveal hidden connections across disciplines. These insights hold not only theoretical significance but also practical implications for marketers, producers, and policymakers seeking to build trust, enhance customer satisfaction, and foster responsible consumption in the organic sector. For marketers and producers, understanding consumer values and trust dynamics can guide strategies for brand positioning and product differentiation. For policymakers, evidence on sustainability and labeling can support regulations that align with consumer expectations and global environmental goals. Finally, for academics, this synthesis clarifies the current state of knowledge and identifies conceptual gaps that future studies can address. By mapping intellectual structures and identifying research frontiers, this study lays the foundation for advancing research that is both conceptually robust and practically relevant, contributing to the broader agenda of sustainable consumption and ethical marketing.