Considering the consumer in the design of a supply chain of perishables

Abstract

Customer satisfaction, contrary to a manufacturer based approach, is considered a key factor in the business strategy of many companies and in supply chain management. However, focusing on the consumer requires an analysis of the preference structure, which is something that conditions supply chain strategy. In this work we carry out a customer segmentation of a perishable product in order to identify different profiles, depending on their needs and preferences, which may allow the study of differentiated supply chain strategy. Thus, taking consumer satisfaction, we propose a differentiated supply chain approach depending on the segment which the company intends to address. In parallel and from a theoretical point of view, this approach represents a first step toward introducing the concept of responsible innovation in the study of supply chain management.