Innowacje produktowe a preferencje klientów na przykładzie branży piekarniczej

The study examines preferences of customers of the Spółdzielnia Piekarsko-Ciastkarska bakery in Warsaw regarding attributes of baked goods and rolls produced using the innovative technology “cool rising”, which is a method of regulated dough preparation used in baking “crispy baked goods”. The study applies own survey data collected in November 2014. The majority of respondents were women, most of respondents had at least high school education, and income between 1501PLN and 3000PLN. Summary of responses shows that the most important attributes of baked goods produced using the innovative technology include the longest period of maintaining freshness, delicate and crunchy surface, and well defined taste and aroma. It has to be stressed that bakery customers did not name price an attribute deciding about the purchase what seems to contradict the opinion coinciding with the Law of Demand expressed by the sector’s leaders, namely that the price increase is the primary reason for the baked goods consumption decline. Results of this study indicate sensory attributes of rolls as the most important in encouraging purchase. The application of an innovative technology seems justified in order to stop the systematically declining consumption of bakery products.