TRANSFORMING RURAL AGRICULTURAL MARKETING THROUGHNEUROMARKETING: A REVIEW OF CONSUMER PREFERENCES,BRAND TRUST AND LOYALTY

Abstract

Rural agricultural marketing is increasingly shifting from commodity-based exchange toward consumer-centred branding, product differentiation and higher-value market positioning. This narrative review examines how neuromarketing can support this transformation by improving understanding of consumer preferences, brand trust and loyalty in rural and agri-food markets. Using a structured narrative review approach, 15 core studies published between 2016 and 2025 were synthesised from Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar, with additional supporting literature used where relevant. The review integrates evidence on agri-food neuromarketing, agricultural branding, biometric consumer research, local food preferences, brand satisfaction and emotional loyalty. The findings show that rural agricultural products often possess distinctive attributes linked to origin, tradition, sustainability, naturalness, quality and community livelihoods, yet these attributes may remain underutilised without effective branding. Neuromarketing tools such as eye-tracking, electroencephalography, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, facial expression analysis and galvanic skin response can complement traditional consumer research by capturing visual attention, emotional arousal and subconscious responses to labels, packaging, sustainability claims, regional identity and other brand cues. The review further shows that brand trust, satisfaction, emotional attachment and loyalty are central to long-term consumer relationships, particularly for rural producers, cooperatives and agri-food MSMEs seeking differentiation beyond price competition. However, the literature remains limited by its emphasis on packaging, lack of rural and developing-country evidence, limited longitudinal research and weak integration between neuromarketing methods and loyalty models. The review concludes that neuromarketing should complement, not replace, traditional consumer research, and can support evidence-based branding strategies that strengthen consumer trust, loyalty and sustainable value creation in rural agricultural value chains.