Consumer preferences for local food characteristics in grocery shopping apps: a multi-country discrete choice experiment

The rapid expansion of online grocery shopping post-COVID-19 has intensified competition among digital food platforms, increasing the need for effective consumer retention strategies. Supporting local food distribution through dedicated mobile app features is one promising approach. This study examines consumer preferences for such features across six European countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom). Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, we analyse how autonomy-, competence-, and relatedness-supporting features influence preferences for local food purchases online. Using data from a discrete choice experiment embedded in an online survey (n = 3,473), we find substantial cross-country heterogeneity in consumer preferences. Autonomy-enhancing features, such as recipes and advanced search filters, are consistently valued, though with varying importance across markets. Gamified sustainability rewards show strong potential to enhance engagement, while relatedness-oriented features receive limited support. Overall, the findings underline the need for market-specific app design strategies and contribute to understanding psychological need fulfilment in online food grocery.