CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS OF THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY IN SWEDEN.

Abstract: The fast food industry is one of the important and growing segments of the overall restaurant industry. At the same time, it is a very dynamic and competitive business where too many vendors are chasing too few clients.To maintain sustainable growth and long-term success it is crucial to meet consumer needs and offer value to them. In order to achieve this, fast food providers must first evaluate customer satisfaction level to determine the extent of satisfaction with given products and services, as well as identify the key attributes of value for consumers and evaluate consumer behavior. Eventually, satisfaction with market transaction leads to repeat purchases which benefits the business operators and helps to build loyal consumer base. This paper seeks to investigate perception of the fast food industry by exploring consumer behavior, determining key attributes of perceived value and by assessing customer satisfaction level. To successfully achieve the purpose of the study a quantitative research design was applied to collect the data. I entailed utilizing the survey method which was used to collect the statistical evidence regarding the objects of the study. The results revealed that consumers of local fast food outlets are overall satisfied with their fast food restaurant experience. The primary purpose of a visit to a fast food outlet is for social activities such as friends get together, for convenience or for change and fun. Additionally, consumers exhibited high importance towards certain attributes such as quality and nutritional value of products, cleanliness and hygiene of the dining premise, quality and speed of the service handling, menu variety were amongst perceived important value attributes. Consequently, it is recommended that fast food providers focus on the key attributes of value for consumers and systematically review the customer needs and expectations in order to increase customer satisfaction and deliver value. Moreover, for maintaining loyal consumer base and increasing customer retention, it is important to direct resources towards improving and strengthening the relationship marketing strategy.