Ethnocentrism and Domestic Food Choice: Insights From an Affluent Protectionist Market

This study has investigated the domestic food choices of consumers in an affluent protectionist market, and the role of consumer ethnocentrism in relation to those choices. A short focus group method called CurroCus-groups were chosen for the study. Seven group interviews were conducted with a total of 54 respondents. The data was analyzed using a two level Grounded Theory approach. The analysis resulted in two main categories and five subcategories, all indicating the consumers’ different reasons for choosing domestic food. The two main categories are social involvement and quality whereas the five subcategories are sensory quality, food safety, products, environmental care and Jobs and producers. Consumer ethnocentrism was discussed in relation to the categories and different levels of consumer ethnocentrism were found in some, but not all of the categories.     

新增食品厂商、监管规制与食品安全

基于不完全信息理论下责任制度分析框架,从规制者、原有食品厂商、新增食品厂商和消费者的四方博弈出发,逐步分解模型中多方博弈主体的行为、收益以及最优食品安全水平下的约束条件和均衡解。研究发现：政府在把握规制的度的情况下,食品厂商类别、规制次数对于政府客观公正的监管规制无影响。提高不同食品厂商的食品合格率是增加消费者满意度、支付意愿以及食品消费规模的关键举措。同时,保障政府监管和信息传递的有效性是四方博弈主体收益增加的前提。原有食品厂商和新增食品厂商之间在食品价格、食品质量以及消费者期望效用方面存在正相关关系。     

Different Effects of Utilitarian and Hedonic Benefits of Retail Food Packaging on Perceived Product Quality and Purchase Intention

Since consumers primarily make in-store purchase decisions, firms use product packaging to attract potential consumers. Ever-increasing market competition in many food product industries has further fueled this phenomenon in firms. However, the question of how retail food packaging affects consumer processes has received very little attention. This study investigates the benefits of food packaging on consumer responses to hedonic products by comparing different benefits (i.e., utilitarian and hedonic) of food packaging to understand which one has more impact on consumers’ perceived quality and purchase intention. The results show that both utilitarian and hedonic benefits of retail food packaging are critical predictors of consumer evaluations but play different important roles in determining customers’ reactions. Utilitarian benefits of food packaging impact perceived quality more than hedonic benefits do. Compared to utilitarian benefits, hedonic benefits of retail food packaging have more impact on consumer purchase intention.     

Applying the Institutional Theory at the Level of Halal Consumers: The Case of Cape Town in South Africa

The institutional theory, especially at an individual level, has not been conducted on halal consumers in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree to which halal consumers who have higher institutional pressures are more expected to purchase halal food products. This study draws upon institutional theory to present empirical evidence that institutional factors may show a significant effect on halal consumer’s purchase intention and buying behavior toward purchasing halal food products. A sample of 298 halal consumers in South Africa was selected. Data samples were collected via self-administrated questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test study hypotheses. The study showed that all institutional factors have a direct effect on halal consumer’s intention and indirect effect on buying behavior. Based on the results, normative pressures had a high significant effect among institutional pressures, followed by other factors such as mimetic and coercive pressures, respectively. This study is first of the uncommon studies examining halal consumers’ purchase intention and buying behavior in a non-Muslim country, employing the institutional theory in the context of halal food consumption.     

The Effects of Consumer Ethnocentrism and Country of Origin on Polish Consumers' Evaluation of Foreign Manufactured Products

The admission of Poland to the European Union may be perceived as the symbolic crowning of a long period of economic transformation. Poland today is not only an emerging market but an emerging culture experiencing a strong economic development wherein old ideals are confronted with new Western values. On this background, the objective of this research is to assess the level and impact of consumer ethnocentrism and the effect of country of origin on consumers’ evaluation of and buying intentions toward foreign manufactured products. Medium-expensive consumer durables—design furniture and fashion clothes—imported from Denmark are examined. Findings show consumer ethnocentrism is present and that more than one-fifth of consumers are highly ethnocentric but also that ethnocentrism has no direct effect on the evaluation of product quality or on buying intention for either of the products from Denmark.     

Effect of Normative and Affective Aspects on Willingness to Pay for Domestic Food Products—A Multiple Price List Experiment

There is limited knowledge about which factors underlie consumers’ preferences for domestic food products. We used a non-hypothetical multiple-price list experiment to investigate the effect of affective (product-related emotions) and normative (consumer ethnocentrism and subjective norms) factors on consumer willingness to pay for domestic food products. A total of 166 Croatian consumers were given a choice between domestic and foreign food products with different price premiums for domestic food. The results indicate that consumers are willing to pay a premium for both low- and high-involvement domestic food products. Consumer willingness to pay for domestic products is influenced by ethnocentrism, product-related emotions, and sociodemographic variables, but not by social norms.     

An Exploration of U.S. Consumer Perceptions and Affect: Two Forms of a Soy-Based Food Product

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on a consumer comparison of fresh tofu and frozen tofu, and the investigation of consumer perceptions of and responses to, both products. A literature review of consumer perceptions and attitudes toward soy products was carried out. Consumer perceptions and affect were then qualitatively investigated using separate focus groups composed of “soy-users” and “health conscious” consumers. Extensive taste tests of the product, using five different recipes, comparing and contrasting frozen versus fresh forms of tofu were conducted to obtain sensory evaluations. The results indicate that many consumers are unfamiliar with the product, yet tofu is perceived to be an acceptable food for those inclined to use soy-based products, as well as those who are otherwise healthy eating conscious. In taste tests, it was found that the recipes in which tofu was disguised were preferred. In addition, frozen tofu was generally found not to be perceived as markedly different from the fresh product. Implications of the findings for marketing fresh and frozen forms of tofu are discussed.     

Factors affecting consumers’ purchase intention of eco‐friendly food in China: The evidence from respondents in Beijing

The purpose aims to examine the key factors influencing Chinese consumer’s purchasing behaviour of eco‐friendly food in China giving its context as an emerging economy and its rapidly rising importance in the world eco‐friendly food market. This paper adopts and extends the Responsible Environmental Behaviour (REB) theory by empirically testing key psychosocial factors influencing the purchase intention of eco‐friendly food and the moderating effects of consumers’ demographic characteristics on the relationship between the key psychosocial factors and the purchase intention. A number of hypotheses are proposed. A questionnaire was designed and distributed via online survey in Beijing, China. A total of 239 valid responses were received. The empirical data were used to test the research hypotheses using the hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The research finds that the personality factors in the REB model (i.e., pro‐environmental attitudes, the internal locus of control and personal responsibly) have significant positive effects on the consumers’ eco‐friendly food purchase intention. Such effect is stable across consumers with different income levels. On the other hand, the knowledge–skill factors in the REB model do not have significant effect on the purchase intention of consumers. This study contributes to a better understanding of factors affecting eco‐friendly food consumption intention in China and the behavioural characteristics of consumers in developing countries. Moreover, the findings also shed light on the applicability of the REB theory in emerging economies and a specific industrial context.     

Consumer ethnocentrism,product necessity and quality perceptions of Russian consumers

Retail buyers in Russia have indicated that some customers have expressed a desire to purchase domestically produced products over imports. Consumer ethnocentrism has been proposed as a measure to provide retail buyers with the information necessary to market to these consumers. The purpose of this research is to determine if perceived product quality of products differs based on country of origin, product necessity and consumer ethnocentric tendency. A repeated measures ANOVA test indicates that perceived quality differs by necessity, by product, by country. A consumer ethnocentrism effect on the overall model, however, was not significant. We conclude that Russian consumers do perceive differences in product quality based on country of origin and product necessity, but that consumer ethnocentrism does not have an effect on perceived product quality.     

Indian Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Safety: An Exploratory Study

The aim of this research is to segment Indian consumers based on their attitudes toward food safety and to demographically characterize each segment with sound risk communication strategies and outreach program may be developed to target vulnerable groups. This article uses exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to find the factors that accentuate consumers’ attitude toward food safety and generalizes the heterogeneity of consumer attitudes based on five factors: apprehension, trust, appetence for a high degree of regulation, acknowledgment from foodborne illness, and propensity for the right to purchase foods that are not guaranteed to be safe.     

Effects of Consumer Weight Level and Advertising Appeals on Consumer Attitude Toward Food and Advertisements

This study examines the link between consumer weight level, food type, and consumer attitude toward both food and food advertisements. Further, this research explores how food advertisements containing emotional or informational claims influence the attitudes of overweight and normal-weight consumers. Two experiments were conducted to study the interaction between weight levels, food types (meat vs. vegetables), and advertising appeals (emotional vs. informational). The results showed mixed support for the six hypotheses. The findings indicate that consumer weight level interacts with food types, and emotional/information appeals affecting food evaluation and attitudes toward food advertisements. Managerial implications for food manufacturers and advertisers are discussed.     

消费认知、政府规制与中国食品安全--一个综述及其引申

尽管影响食品安全的因素众多,但食品安全问题本质上是经济问题,仍无法脱离基本的供需矛盾。本文从有效需要的角度出发,以消费认知和政府规制为两条主线对相关前沿的研究文献进行了梳理,并将其纳入到一个基本的供需分析框架中。通过文献研究发现,频发食品安全事件是粗放型经济增长的阶段性产物,而消费认知的偏误以及政府规制的合理程度对食品安全市场的有效供给具有很强的引导作用。食品安全治理中的政策制定与制度安排不能仅着眼于对供给的约束,如何提振有效需求则更有利于监管资源的优化和规制效果。对于中国食品安全问题的研究目前仍主要停留在一种概述性、工具性的研究阶段或某一领域的经验性研究,关于食品安全经济的内在价值和深度机理性研究还十分缺乏。     

The food neophobia scale and young adults’ intention to eat insect products

In the coming years, the new EU Regulation on Novel Food is likely to facilitate the development of a niche market for insects and insect‐based ingredients in many European countries. In this research, the aim is to explore the relationship between willingness to try (WTT) and behavior of eating insects, where the independent variables are food neophobia, sensory property expectations, and previous consumption. In total, 88 Italian participants took part in the study. The food neophobia scale (FNS) was constructed using 9 of the 10 items from the original FNS, and a Structural Equation Modeling approach was used to test the research hypotheses. The results show that males are more open to trying insects than females, and food neophobia is negatively correlated with the willingness to eat insects. Findings also indicate that the first exposure to insects positively increases consumers’ sensory property expectations. Intention to try is a strong predictor of the behavior of eating insects. People who scored lower on the FNS were more likely to try (intention) and consequently eat insects (behavior). These findings enhance knowledge about factors which could lead to lower levels of negative prejudice and greater willingness to taste edible insects among Western consumers. Finally, some marketing implications are discussed, like the need of information campaigns to emphasize positive sensory attributes of edible insects to increase the WTT this unfamiliar food.     

Food consumption and political agency: on concerns and practices among Danish consumers

Increasingly ordinary individual consumers are expected to perform some kind of societal or political agency. In the debates about political consumption it is a recurrent topic to what degree consumption practices can be seen as political practices and how many consumers perform such practices. The aim of this article is to empirically qualify the demarcation of the political in individual consumer activities by integrating the concept of political agency in the definition of political consumption. On the basis of empirical results from a representative survey among food consumers in Denmark, the article suggests that by supplementing the criteria of consumers performing specific consumption activities with a criteria of consumers expressing political agency, a more precise empirical delimitation of political consumption can be achieved. Three groups of food consumers are identified: those who perform political consumption practices; those who perform politicized consumption practices; and those who vocalize the discourse of political consumerism.     

中国绿色食品消费群体市场细分研究——基于修正的食品相关生活方式量表

在中国频繁发生食品安全问题的大环境下,食品安全消费的研究就显得十分重要。文章对西方背景下开发的食品相关生活方式量表进行适合中国市场和文化的修正,并基于修正量表对中国食品消费者进行市场细分,经过两步骤聚类分析得出5个细分市场,分别是“传统居家型”（7.5%）、“保守节约型”（16.6%）、“现代都市型”（19.5%）、“享乐探险型”（23.8%）、“淡漠便利型”（32.6%）,并从中识别出“享乐探险型”“保守节约型”“传统居家型”三个细分市场为绿色食品消费群体,“现代都市型”为潜在绿色食品消费群体,“淡漠便利型”为非绿色食品消费群体,最后根据不同细分市场的特点为绿色食品企业提供营销建议。     

Applying the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict Sustainable Street Food Patronage in a Developing Economy

With over 2.5 billion daily street food consumers globally, the consumption paradigm of the urban-informal-sector street food is shifting towards sustainable street food (SSF). This has led to the emerging SSF-market segment. The extended Theory of Planned Behavior (e-TPB), which incorporates the past behavior construct, is used to provide preliminary insight by unraveling behavioral predictors. The e-TPB research framework is premised on five key constructs - attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and past behavior. The framework was tested using primary data collected from 437 street food consumers drawn from three main urban cities in southeast Nigeria. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique was used to analyze data. It is revealed that past behavior/experience does not necessarily connote patronage intention for sustainable street food. This study validates the utility of e-TPB for the prognosis of emerging consumer behavior. Recommendations and implications for marketing-related street food vending strategies are discussed.     

Ethical Judgment of Food Fraud. Effects on Consumer Behavior

This study brings important insights for the food industry by addressing how consumers ethically judge or evaluate unethical firm behavior, in specific reference to food fraud, and if and to what extent that judgment affects the consumer–brand relationship and consumer behavior. it is an empirical investigation of the unethical intentional mislabeling in the U. S food industry. The paper analysis if there are statistically significant associations between brand attachment, ethical judgment, brand commitment, and purchase intention. Quantitative data (151) was collected about three different leading manufacturing food brands (three studies). Correlation and regression analyses were conducted. Findings reveal the important relation between all the constructs. Significant effects on how consumers ethically judged this brand transgression. Thus, it was found that as consumers judged this action as more unethical, the intentions to both stay committed to and purchase the brand were considerably damaged.     

Consumer Motivations and Buying Behavior: The Case of the Local Food System Movement

The significant attention and growth surrounding sustainable foods has created a demand for research investigating different factors that can aid in predicting and explaining consumer behavior. This article utilized an attitude-behavior framework, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), to identify factors that might influence consumer valuation of organic, fair trade, and local labeled food. Approximately 1,000 consumers from a 2008 nationwide survey were used in data analyses. Some TPB determinants proved successful in understanding consumer motivations (behavioral control, social norms). These results can be used by a wide variety of food marketers to connect with consumers to promote effective marketing strategies of sustainable food products