Consumer Perceptions,Concerns, and Purchasing Practices of Rabbit Meat in Hungary

Nationwide consumer research was conducted in 2014 on consumer perceptions, purchasing practices, and consumption of rabbit meat. The questionnaire revealed that respondents basically found rabbit meat healthy; however, better knowledge of positive physiological effects would lead to increased consumption. Transforming public awareness may also include the criticism of housing systems suspected to be “humanitarian.” The experiment-proven conditions, in which—in contrast to human empathy and preconceptions—rabbits indeed feed well and are “happy,” should be presented to the public.     

Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility and Product Perceptions in Consumer Markets: A Cross-cultural Evaluation

The concept of corporate social responsibility is becoming integral to effective corporate brand management. This study adopts a multidimensional and cross-country perspective of the concept and analyses consumer perceptions of behaviour of four leading consumer products manufacturers. Data was collected from consumers in two countries – Spain and the UK. The study analyses consumers’ degree of interest in corporate responsibility and its impact on their perception about the company. The findings here suggest a weak impact of company-specific communication on consumers’ perception. The implications of this study are relevant to companies for strengthening their social responsibility associations with the consumers. Dr. Jaywant Singh is Senior Lecturer at Kingston University, London where he teaches consumer behaviour and international marketing. His research interests include customer loyalty, product variants, new brands, corporate social responsibility, and consumer panel data. He received his PhD in marketing in 2004. Dr. Maria de Mar Garcia de los Salmones is Lecturer at University of Cantabria (Spain). Her current research interests include corporate social responsibility, brand image and consumer behaviour. She received her PhD in business administration in 2002. Dr. Ignacio Rodriguez de Bosque is Professor of Marketing at the University of Cantabria (Spain). His current research interests include Business Communication, relationship marketing and distribution channels. He has published in several international journals such as Tourism, Management, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services and Industrial Marketing Management.     

Consumer Perceptions and Reality of Cheating by Sellers in Food Markets in Ukraine

Abstract

In developing markets the degree of regulation of weights and measures is often at a low level. In such an environment consumers frequently believe themselves to be the victims of unscrupulous sellers. Markets in the Ukraine fit such a pattern. In an effort to assess the costs of cheating, two studies were undertaken. First, consumers were surveyed to assess their perceptions and defenses against cheating. Second, purchases were made in the market to assess the actual degree of cheating. In general, consumers believe that they are almost always cheated and have no recourse. However, based on purchases, on average, sellers do not cheat consumers.     

User Perceptions of Mobile and Online Channels for Purchasing Financial Products

ABSTRACT

This study investigates users' perceptions of costs and benefits of mobile versus online, PC-based, channels for accessing financial information and completing financial transactions. Results indicate that, in the financial services context, the mobile channel has no perceived advantages over the online channel. The older online channel does have several perceived advantages related to transaction cost, risk, ease of use, meeting financial goals, and information accessibility. The channels are similar on four dimensions, but most of the similarities arise because the online and mobile channels enable purchase of the same financial products. Finally, users are more willing to use the mobile channel for less risky tasks (accessing information) than they are for more risky tasks (buying financial products).     

E-Commerce Consumer Perceptions Regarding On-line Shopping

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a survey exploring the perceptions of e-commerce consumers regarding the benefits and concerns of shopping on-line. Implications for the industry, site development, operational issues and customer service are presented.     

Consumer Consumption and Perceptions of Salmon

Abstract

The percentoffarmed salmon production has grown from 20.3% of total world salmon supply in 1989 to 52.0% in 1998. This trend poses a major challenge for the wild salmon industry. The impact of the wild salmon industry's marketing programs on the demand for ocean-caught salmon needs to be addressed. This study explored the consumption and perceptions of wild and farmed salmon among college students. Results showed that salmon consumption varied noticeably within this market segment, as well as consumers' familiarity with the terms wild salmon and farmed salmon and related issues and attributes. These findings suggest that the wild salmon industry may need to place more emphasis on product differentiation awareness and promotion campaigns targeting niche markets to increase sales of ocean-caught salmon.     

Perceptions of food quality: Evidence from a survey in Shanghai

Recent food scandals in China significantly decreased the level of consumer trust toward the food chain, and, at the same time, increased the demand for food quality and safety. This paper investigated perceptions and determinants of food quality among a sample of households in Shanghai. Survey questionnaires were collected between June and December 2014, and a total of 509 interviews were completed. Questions asked about food purchasing behaviours, dietary habits, and the importance of food quality when food shopping. Socio‐demographic and socio‐economic variables were also collected. We used ordered logit regressions to investigate the most significant factors associated with food quality. We found that respondents who frequently bought vegetables were 31% more likely to look for quality attributes (p < .1) and respondents who often bought rice 28% more (p < .01). Branding was also positively associated with the demand for food quality. In particular, consumers considering brand an important element were 25% more likely to believe that the product was of high quality (p < .05). Among socio‐economic variables, higher income and education were significantly associated with food quality demand. Our results indicated that consumers in Shanghai paid increasing attention to food quality, and they especially associated it with traditional foods and brand. We suggested that policy makers and stakeholders in the food chain should strengthen food quality certification systems, and help consumers make better and more informed choices.     

Consumer Preference and Willingness to Pay for a Local Label Attribute in Western Australian Fresh and Processed Food Products

This study investigates Western Australia’s consumer attitudes toward and preferences for locally produced food products signified by a state-funded campaign logo, Buy West Eat Best (BWEB). A choice experiment using both a fresh and a processed food product (skinless chicken breast and fruit yogurt) is conducted to assess willingness to pay for a local production attribute and other label claims. We find that consumer awareness and preference for local foods is high. However, this high preference is not because the product is locally produced but because of the local attributes associated with high-quality products. The study highlights the importance of successfully differentiating products through credible labeling schemes in order to capture market premium.     

Authentic British food products: a review of consumer perceptions

Historically, soil, land, climatic constraints and individuals’ skills all contributed to the characteristics of regional food. Food, however, is also subject to the influences of colonialism, immigration, cultural exchange, international trade, improved distribution and technology. British food is constantly evolving in order to fulfil the demands of each generation. Thus, the concept of an authentic British food product is becoming increasingly unclear. This paper therefore addresses what today British consumers actually perceive to be authentic British foods. Results of an exploratory qualitative study are reviewed. Five focus groups were conducted with individuals responsible for half or more of their household’s shopping. The groups incorporated consumers with a range of demographic and economic characteristics. The data gathered from the focus groups revealed that British perceptions of authenticity relate to both artisan as well mass‐produced, branded products. In addition, five dimensions affecting consumer perceptions of an authentic British food product were identified, including: uniqueness to Britain, a cultural or traditional association with Britain, characteristics of the production process, the presence of an authority and specific extrinsic characteristics of the product. The findings have implications for product differentiation and communication, for producers and retailers and also for independent trade associations.     

Perceptions and preference for fresh seafood in an Australian context

Seafood as a whole food is highly nutritious. It is an important dietary source of protein, omega‐3 fatty acids and a wide array of highly bioavailable micronutrients. Despite the established health benefits associated with fish and seafood consumption, in Australia consumption levels still remain below those recommended for health. Although considerable research has been carried out on enablers and barriers to seafood consumption, the reasons Australian consumers do not consume recommended amounts of seafood while stating they would like to consume more seafood are complex and have not been fully illuminated. This paper reports on the development and results of a self‐administered questionnaire that aimed to identify consumer perceptions and preferences for fresh and frozen seafood. Data were collected through intercept surveys at an Australian university and 239 valid responses were received. Results confirmed respondent preference for fresh fish and seafood. There was significant confusion among respondents about what constitutes fresh seafood, with the term ‘fresh’ having different meanings to different respondents. Over half of respondents understood the term fresh to relate to seafood having been caught that same day. In comparison, approximately 15% understood fresh to reflect the accepted definition of having never been frozen. Additionally, results indicated respondents find it difficult to recognize if seafood is fresh, particularly in comparison with other meats. There is significant potential for the development of regulations for labelling of unpackaged seafood in order to allow consumers to make informed decisions about their purchases.     

Consumer Primacy on Campus: A Look at the Perceptions of Navajo and Anglo Consumers

ABSTRACT

A comparison was made between 152 Navajo students and 245 Anglo students regarding their perceptions of the educational product. Based upon focus group outcomes, nine elements were used to represent the educational product in the analyses. The elements were conceptualized using the Marketing Lens Model. Four hypotheses were developed and tested. Significant cultural differences were found for the following elements of the educational product: importance ratings among educational attributes, anticipated preparation after graduation, and satisfaction with the educational product. Results are discussed and managerial implications for university administrators are offered.     

Effect of Experiential vs. Cognitive Involvement on Consumer Preferences: Application to Region of Origin Labeled Food Products

Region of origin labeled food products consumption is influenced both by cognitive motives related to the individuals' health and safety concerns and by affective motives in relation within the pleasure, the emotional states and the social values. The objective of our study is to examine the effect of involvement and its nature (cognitive vs. experiential) on consumer preferences toward region of origin labeled food products. Discriminant analysis shows that both the cognitive and experiential dimensions of involvement discriminate between the two groups: those who prefer regional food products and those who prefer either national or foreign products. By targeting each profile by an adequate communication strategy, food labels could meet consumer expectations. Thus, their acceptance becomes higher.     

Evaluating the urban consumer with regard to sourcing local food: a Heart of England study

This paper critically explores consumer perceptions and trends regarding purchasing locally produced food. Until recently, much of the research in this area largely focused on regional consumers where rural consumers had reasonable access to locally produced food and were usually in close proximity to the producers within, or close to, their immediate community. Here, the objectives of the primary research focused instead on urban attitudes and perceptions of local food within the Greater Birmingham conurbation in the West Midlands region of the UK. Birmingham is by far the most highly populated urban area of the region, and with ample opportunities to promote local food. Consumers, based mainly in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, were questioned on their locally produced food‐buying habits and attitudes in order to determine any differences in urban perceptions and buying attitudes compared with rural counterparts, and also to identify any new and potential opportunities for local food producers. Originally, 1000 questionnaires were obtained from across Greater Birmingham and Wolverhampton. However, for the purposes of this paper, it was decided to focus on two urban city centres – Birmingham and Wolverhampton, with 148 questionnaires. The results indicate that urban consumers are generally confused about what the term ‘local’ food means. The reasons for purchasing local food, while generally consistent with national patterns, differed in that supporting the local producers was not regarded as important. Barriers to purchase were largely unsurprising for an urban area, as the top choices were ‘too expensive’ followed by ‘not readily available’ and ‘no time to find it’. Understanding, information, availability and access to local food emerge as the biggest challenges to urban consumers in buying local food.     

Consumer Perceptions of a Potential Fresh Ground Beef and Poultry Product

Abstract

Consumer concerns with the consumption of fat and cholesterol have encouraged many to seek alternatives to regular ground beef. A sample of Louisiana households was surveyed by mail to examine the willingness of consumers to purchase a blended fresh ground beef and poultry product relative to alternative ground products. Multinomial logit analysis was used to analyze the data. The important variables in the Yes versus No purchase decision for the blended product were: beef is one of the household's two most popular fresh meats, the household had consumed hamburger during the last month, the respondent had mixed the two products in the home, age, single adult head, and Caucasian. Gender, children in the household, education, presence of a homemaker, and family income were less important variables.     

Perceptions of Agriculture and Food Corporate Social Responsibility

An online survey of 1,201 U.S. residents was conducted in April 2015 to better understand individuals’ perceptions of prominent areas of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the food supply chain. Demographic and household consumption information, including supermarket patronage, was collected. Each respondent completed best–worst tasks for CSR areas designed to elicit their relative importance of CSR areas. Overall, health and safety were perceived as the most important CSR area, and environment was prioritized second. Indicating gender as female and/or reporting age over 65 was positively correlated with the relative importance placed on health and safety, but negatively correlated with the size of preference share for nearly all other CSR areas investigated. Membership in the younger age categories was positively correlated with the size of the preference shares devoted to procurement, labor, fair trade, and biotechnology.     

Food Products Vending in Street Markets Held in Urban Habitat

This study explores the influence of street markets in urban geodemographic settings and analyzes vending patterns with ethnic values enhancing consumer satisfaction. Interrelationship among urban dwellers, marketplace ambiance, and conventional shopping wisdom of customers and interactive customer relations are also addressed in the study based on empirical survey. Research on street markets is very limited though some studies are available on street vendors with focus on spatial planning, political interventions, and legal rights. This study on street markets contributes significantly to the existing literature in reference to shopping behavior and perceptional values of urban consumers.     

Consumer understanding of food labels: toward a generic tool for identifying the average consumer

The ‘average consumer’ is referred to as a standard in regulatory contexts when attempts are made to benchmark how consumers are expected to reason while decoding food labels. An attempt is made to operationalize this hypothetical ‘average consumer’ by proposing a tool for measuring the level of informedness of an individual consumer against the national median at any time. Informedness, i.e. the individual consumer's ability to interpret correctly the meaning of the words and signs on a food label is isolated as one essential dimension for dividing consumers into three groups: less-informed, informed, and highly informed consumers. Consumer informedness is assessed using a 60-question test related to information found on a variety of Danish everyday food products and divided into factual questions and informedness about signpost labels. A test was made with 407 respondents who participated in four independent studies on fairness in consumer communication, and the average score for all was 57.6% of correct answers. A score of 64% and beyond would place a consumer in the upper quartile (the group of highly informed consumers), whereas a score of 52% or below would place the individual in the lower quartile (the group of less-informed consumers). Female respondents performed better than males on label recognition, and those around 40 years of age irrespective of gender performed best on factual knowledge, whereas those aged around 30 performed best on label recognition. It is foreseen that independent future studies of consumer behavior and decision making in relation to food products in different contexts could benefit from this type of benchmarking tool.     

Examining Consumer Risk Perceptions of Prototypical Brands Versus Me-Too Brands

This study examines brand familiarity, extrinsic attributes, self-confidence, and perceived quality for their effects on perceived risk between prototypical and me-too brands. Factor analyses and path analysis were used in testing hypotheses. Brand familiarity produced a significant positive effect, while extrinsic attributes produced a significant negative effect on perceived equivalent quality for both the pioneer and me-too brands. Respectively, the perceived equivalent quality of the MP3 players produced significant positive and negative effects on perceived risks for pioneer and me-too brands. Managerial implications include strategic use of me-too brands and management of competitive advantages of pioneer brands with perceived prototypicality.     

Estimating Consumer Preferences for Value-Added Fish Products in Oman

Abstract

The European meat industry is confronted with substantial changes of consumer preferences in relation to the type and quantity of meat in everyday diet. One of the main reasons behind these changes is the public impression that meat is a “dangerous” to consume food. This feeling is the result of recent food scares where meat played a central role and their effect on consumers' perceptions about meat safety. The research at hand explores the market potential of organic meat in Greece and emphasizes the perceptions about meat consumption held by organic consumers as opposed to those held by non-consumers of organic foods. It is expected that organic consumers will be more interested in a series of quality attributes of meat commonly found in its organic type, in comparison to non-consumers of organic food. However, the main finding of the survey is that consumer demands in relation to meat quality and safety are particularly high, irrespective of meat's production method. The research concludes that the particularly low consumption of organic meat in Greece should be partially attributed to its insufficient differentiation in consumers' minds.