Is there a price influence and personal characteristics in the potato purchase decision? A descriptive study

World potato production in 2017 was over 388.2 million tons, being the fourth largest in volume in the world, where the highest world producers are China, India, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. Brazil occupies the 21st position in the ranking of the largest potato producers in the world, with a production volume of 3.6 million tons, with the main producers being the states of Minas Gerais, Paraná, and São Paulo, which together produce the equivalent of 75 % of the Brazilian total. Knowledge about the positioning of the consumer is important for stakeholders in the potato production chain, aiming at the identification of personal factors that influence potato consumption, as well as the recognition of opportunities, seeking to meet the wishes and needs of consumers. Also, it is relevant to check consumer sensitivity to fluctuations in retail prices. Few studies show which personal aspects influence consumers' decision to purchase potatoes, as well as they react to changes in price. Thus, this study sought to identify which personal aspects influence the purchase of potatoes and how the consumer positions himself concerning changes in prices, through the analysis of primary data answered by 170 people in 38 cities of the state of São Paulo. The collected information was processed using electronic spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel software and the analyzes developing using Multiple Linear Regression with Heteroscedasticity (MLR), with the aid of the Stata 15 software. Families with children, with more than two adults in the composition, and age are the personal aspects that influence the acquisition of potatoes. As the potato is a popular product, with easy access and relatively low prices, the levels of education and income do not interfere with consumption, since at times when prices are small the quantity consumed remains unchanged.