Consumer Usage, Attitudes, and Product Image of Potato-Based Food Products in Iligan City, Philippines

Abstract

Backgrounds: Potato foods such as French fries, chips, loaded fries, baked potatoes, and mashed potatoes are familiar products; their local market value depends on usage, attitudes, and positioning rather than novelty alone. Objectives: This study described product awareness, image, usage occasions, purchase channels, and evaluations and examined associations between consumption frequency and key attitudinal dimensions among surveyed consumers in Iligan City. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey obtained 313 usable responses through printed and online questionnaires. The non-probability sample was predominantly students (91.7%) aged 18-21 years (84.0%). Frequencies, means, and Pearson correlations were used; demographic characteristics were retained as descriptive classification data because subgroup sizes were highly unequal. Findings: Most respondents described the category as modern or innovative (78.6%), and 64.8% rated its healthiness as good or excellent. Products were used mainly as snacks (52.4%), usually one to two times weekly (65.5%), and purchased most often from food stalls (65.8%) and supermarkets or groceries (63.3%). Consumption frequency was associated only weakly with daily-diet and cultural fit (r = -.139). Conclusions: The surveyed youth-oriented segment showed favorable product images but moderate routine use. For this segment, local enterprises should prioritize affordable trial prices, convenient stall and retail channels, consistent quality, and positioning around familiar merienda or meal occasions. Findings are exploratory segment evidence and are not citywide population estimates.