Exploring the urban consumers’ experience and the influencing factors in berry-picking activities in China

Berries hold a unique appeal, stemming from their natural aspect and
the embedded cultural ecosystem services they can offer. While extensive
studies have examined rural berry collectors, there is a gap of
research on the engagement of urban consumers in berry-picking
activities, particularly in emerging markets. This study addresses this
gap by investigating the experience, consumer motivations, and other
inffuential factors of urban consumers engaging in berry-picking activities
in selected municipalities in China. Drawing on in-depth interviews
with urban consumers involved in berry-picking and the
thematic analysis, this research revealed three berry-picking patterns,
including wild picking, pure commercial picking (U-pick), commercial
picking with extra services (Pick and Plus). It identiffed key factors
inffuencing urban consumer experience, namely consumer motivations,
social media marketing, convenience, and service capability. It
explored the challenges confronting individual berry farmers. The
results highlighted the cultural and social signiffcance of berrypicking
activities, as well as the service potential of fresh berries as
territorial products to bridge urban-rural divides. The research contributes
up-to-date insights to the broader discourse on the cultural and
provisioning ecosystem services offered by berries, shedding light on
the intricate interplay among urban consumers, fresh berries, rural
berry farmers and other relevant stakeholders.