Factors Influencing Consumer Purchasing Decision Toward Malang Meatballs At East Java,Indonesia

The study examined factors influencing consumers' purchasing behaviour in relation to Malang meatballs as a representative ethnic food in East Java, Indonesia. Multistage area sampling was used to randomly select 400 households from the Malang area (200 urban and 200 rural) as consumer respondents. Respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire by the researcher and enumerators. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyse consumers' purchasing behaviour toward Malang meatballs. This study can contribute to a better understanding of consumers' preferences toward Malang meatballs, an animal protein-based food, that has a unique taste. Consumers preferred Malang meatballs compared to street foods (i.e., “soto,” “tahu campur,” and fried noodles). Younger consumers concerned about freshness and a “halal food” may select Malang meatballs. The availability of Malang meatballs can increase consumers' purchasing action toward this product. Also, surrounding cold air temperature influenced consumers in selecting this food.     

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.     

Consumer attitude toward US versus domestic apparel in Taiwan

This study investigates whether or not consumer attitudes toward domestic‐ vs. US‐made apparel differ among consumers in Taiwan. Variables to be examined include (1) apparel attributes; (2) self‐concept; and (3) demographics. The Fishbein attitude model was used to measure consumer attitudes. The mall‐intercept method was used to collect most data in four major cities of Taiwan. A total of 485 Taiwanese consumers completed and returned useable questionnaires. Results indicated that consumer attitudes toward Taiwan vs. US‐made apparel differed significantly among consumers in Taiwan. Consumers had an overall more positive attitude towards US‐made apparel compared with Taiwan‐made apparel with regards to care instruction label, colour, quality, apparel fibre content, fashionableness, attractiveness, brand name, and comfort apparel attributes. For self‐concept variables only modest/vain and thrifty/indulgent had a significant difference between consumers who preferred US‐ over Taiwan‐made apparel. Demographic factors of age, gender, education, residence area, travelled abroad and country‐of‐origin preference had a significant relationship with consumer attitudes toward apparel. This study is aimed at understanding Taiwanese consumers’ attitudes toward foreign‐made apparel. Overall, Taiwanese consumers preferred US‐made apparel; however, the apparel attribute of size range needed improvement to increase customers’ satisfaction.     

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.     

Functional Foods and the Young

Factors such as raised consciousness about human health, development of the food industry, and medicine and branches of natural science studying the relation between nutrition and health have led to the popularization of foods with proven health effects. Such foods are called functional foods. Although there is growing interest in functional foods, there are several groups of consumers that are, more than others, interested in functional foods. To examine buying behavior and attitudes toward functional food of young consumers (18–30 years old) and to determine the most interested consumers, we conducted a survey using a self-administered questionnaire on a sample of 570 Croatian students. The majority of the respondents purchase functional foods, usually in supermarkets. Apart from taste, the most important functional food attribute is price/quality ratio. Respondents are buying functional foods because they believe that those foods are healthier and safer than other products. Examined market segments were based on respondents’ attitudes toward functional foods. The results of this research could be used in planning further development of the functional foods market for young consumers.     

Who buys from farmers’ markets and farm shops: The case of Germany

In this article, we analyze the influence of sociodemographic factors and consumer attitudes toward direct marketing products and sources (outlets) on the frequency of buying food from farmers’ markets and farm shops. By conducting an intercept survey with pedestrians in 2011 and 2012, we interviewed a total of n = 550 consumers. The target regions of the study were the Eastern German federal states. The study uses two ordered logit regression models to investigate consumers’ shopping behaviour at farmers’ markets and farm shops separately. We find that different factors significantly influence consumers’ buying behaviour at the two direct marketing outlets. Specifically, both a more favorable view toward the freshness of directly marketed foods and the intention to support local producers are positively related to consumers’ purchase frequency from farmers’ markets. In contrast, consumers’ purchase frequency from farm shops is significantly influenced by their perception of the cost of the products, confidence in food producers of directly marketed products, perception of the safety of the food and perception of the accessibility of farm shops. The study results indicate that considering consumer behaviour separately for different direct marketing channels for food rather than considering the entire category of local food outlets may provide new and valuable insights.     

Study of Consumer Preferences in Regard to the Blonde Orange Cv. Washington Navel “Arancia Di Ribera PDO”

Consumers’ attitude and preferences in regard to food ingredients, country of origin, social corporate responsibility toward the environment, and work conditions have changed over the last 10 years. Consumers are getting more educated and therefore more sensitive around cultivation practices in agriculture and food processing, which increases concerns in regard to production practices in agriculture. Several studies have been conducted on consumers’ preferences about quality food, but not with regard to blonde oranges cv. Washington Navel cultivated in southern Italy. This quality fruit is a niche product that achieved the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification for high organoleptic properties and fine taste. In this study, by a survey of 400 Italian consumers, we discovered preferences in regard to the cv. Washington Navel PDO (Riberella) attributes and revealed variables that may influence consumers’ purchasing behavior. Cluster analysis, based on respondents’ rates on 20 attributes, revealed preference segmentation. Freshness, taste, and origin were the most important attributes for consumers, following visual appearance and quality/price ratio. In responding to the demands of consumers for quality fresh fruit, information about quality standards and about the Riberella PDO is poor. Therefore, there may be potential to develop specific policies and marketing strategies to product the position in the international market.     

Factors That Affect the Attitudes of Consumers Toward Halal-Certified Products in Turkey

Halal is an Arabic word that means lawful or permitted in reference to Islam. Muslims are responsible for consuming goods that are lawful. However, the target consumer group for halal food is not only Muslim people but also consumers who seek hygienic and quality products. Halal concept is not limited with foods; it covers cosmetics, finance, logistics, and many other sectors. This study aims to determine the factors that affect the attitudes of consumers toward halal foods and to show the effects of religiosity, perceived risk, and involvement on halal food preferences in Turkey.     

The Attitude of Indian Youth Toward Nutrition: Factors,Segments, and Implications

Although consumers’ attitude toward healthy or nutritious foods has been studied, factors affecting attitude have not been sufficiently studied. This study deals with the factors affecting the attitude of Indian youth toward nutrition. The article also attempts to segment youth consumers on the basis of their attitude. The responses of 379 youths to the specifically developed questionnaire were subjected to principal component analysis to identify attitudinal factors and to delineate the segments of youth cluster analysis. Discriminant analysis was performed to establish the differences among segments. Five factors, namely “not sure,” “volume consciousness,” “costly but willing to pay,” “healthy homemade,” and “taste and practical,” were identified as having influence on youths’ attitude toward nutrition. Marital status, gender, and cities where youths have spent their last 5 years had significant influence on those attitudinal factors. Based on the varying importance of different attitudinal factors, consumers were categorized in three distinct segments. Based on the findings of the study, different management interventions can be planned to increase the intake of nutritious food by the youths of different segments.     

Risk management behaviour by the Northern Ireland food consumer

The main criteria that consumers use during the decision‐making process when purchasing food have traditionally been a combination of prices, incomes, taste and social attitudes, with price being seen as the main determinant. However, in the past 10 years risk has become a ‘new’ criterion that can affect the consumer's decision whether or not to purchase a particular food item. The effect of the perception of risk has been observed during the numerous food scares in the last decade and in trends for the demand for foods that connote a health image. This research, carried out in Northern Ireland, looked at how consumers quantified and managed risk. The research involved 202 primary food consumers and identified the factors that were perceived to be important from both a societal and a personal perspective. Using principal component analysis techniques, societal food risks were seen as either processing or dietary, and personal food risks were seen as either extrinsic or intrinsic. Further investigation into the attributes of the personal risk using the same techniques revealed a three‐factor solution described as fear, involvement and newness. Although these factors cannot be used as predictors of the risk associated with a particular food, they help to describe and explain how the risk may be managed. The relationship between two of the factors, involvement and fear, provide a framework for understanding the way consumers manage their perception of the risk, particularly of high‐risk items. Consumer and scientific knowledge of the risk in question, and the degree of control over the risk were seen as important in the management of the risk in question. The conceptualization of the mechanism by which risks are processed and acted upon provides information regarding risk management and communication strategies that should be employed by educators, food retailers and government policy makers.     

Personality traits and complaining behaviors: A focus on Japanese consumers

Despite the fact that personality is thought to be one of the main factors that may explain unhappy consumers’ behavior, very little is known about how it affects their attitudes and complaining strategies. This is particularly true in the case of Japanese consumers where scant research has been conducted on their complaining behaviors. Hence, the main objective of this study is to investigate the roles of three personality traits (i.e., self‐confidence, aggressiveness, and altruism) of Japanese consumers in explaining their attitudes toward complaining, perceived likelihood of successful complaints (PLSCs), and complaining behaviors. On a sample of 263 respondents, a univariate general linear model (GLM) analysis is performed to assess the moderating roles of personality traits on complaint‐related variables. The results show that, on the one hand, in contrast to self‐confidence, the levels (i.e., high vs. low) of aggressiveness and altruism have significant impacts on attitudes toward complaining and PLSCs. However, the level of self‐confidence appears to have the most significant impacts on public complaining behaviors. On the other hand, altruism is found to be the only personality trait that may explain consumers’ private complaining behaviors. Additional analyses reveal interactive effects of the personality traits on complaining attitude and behaviors.     

Investigating the gap between citizens' sustainability attitudes and food purchasing behaviour: empirical evidence from Brazilian pork consumers

Consumers worldwide are increasingly concerned with sustainable production and consumption. Recently, a comprehensive study ranked 17 countries in regard to their environmentally friendly behaviour among consumers. Brazil was one of the top countries in the list. Yet, several studies highlight significant differences between consumers' intentions to consume ethically, and their actual purchase behaviour: the so‐called ‘Attitude‐Behaviour Gap’. In developing countries, few studies have been conducted on this issue. The objective of this study is therefore to investigate the gap between citizens' sustainability‐related attitudes and food purchasing behaviour using empirical data from Brazil. To this end, Brazilian citizens' attitudes towards pig production systems were mapped through conjoint analysis and their coexistence with relevant pork product‐related purchasing behaviour of consumers was investigated through cluster analysis. The conjoint experiment was carried out with empirical data collected from 475 respondents surveyed in the South and Center‐West regions of Brazil. The results of the conjoint analysis were used for a subsequent cluster analysis in order to identify clusters of Brazilian citizens with diversified attitudes towards pig production systems, using socio‐demographics, attitudes towards sustainability‐related themes that are expected to influence the way they evaluate pig production systems, and consumption frequency of various pork products as clusters' background information. Three clusters were identified as ‘indifferent’, ‘environmental conscious’ and ‘sustainability‐oriented’ citizens. Although attitudes towards environment and nature had indeed an influence on citizens' specific attitudes towards pig farming at the cluster level, the relationship between ‘citizenship’ and consumption behaviour was found to be weak. This finding is similar to previous research conducted with European consumers: what people (in their role of citizens) think about pig production systems does not appear to significantly influence their pork consumption choices. Improvements in the integrated management of this chain would better meet consumers' sustainability‐related expectations towards pig production systems.     

Not all organic food is created equal: the role of product type,perceived authenticity,and construal level

Abstract

Consumption of processed organic food is on the rise while fresh organic food still dominates organic food market. Drawing from the literature on authenticity and construal level theory, this study aims to investigate the role of perceived authenticity and message construal level in consumers’ evaluations of two types of organic food (fresh vs. processed). Two experiments were conducted among college students (N = 129, Study 1) and adults 18–70 (N = 249, Study 2). Our findings suggest that consumers’ evaluations of organic food are fully mediated by perceived authenticity of each organic food type. Specifically, compared to processed organic food, consumers perceive fresh organic food more authentic, which leads to more favorable attitudes and higher purchase intention. This research further demonstrates that the indirect effect of organic food type via perceived authenticity is moderated by construal level of marketing messages. That is, when messages are construed at a low level, consumers tend to have more positive attitudes and higher purchase intention toward fresh than processed organic food. By contrast, product type makes no difference when messages are construed at a high level. These findings have clear implications on message development strategy when promoting processed organic food, in particular. Future research directions are discussed.     

Convenience food consumption in the Nordic countries and St. Petersburg area

Building on the theoretical framework provided by sociological research on eating practices, family meals, self‐cooked meals and time use, this study examines national differences and similarities in the use of convenience food in Northern Europe. The study draws on two quantitative sets of data, the primary data set (N = 8248) collected in 2012 in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, and the complementary data set (N = 800) collected in St. Petersburg area in 2013. In general, consumers’ attitudes towards convenience food were negative. Time saving was an important motivator for convenience consumption in all countries. The effects of other attitudes were diffuse and factors such as low cost, health effects, and taste of convenience food, affected convenience consumption differently in different countries. In the four Nordic countries women used less convenience food than men. In Finland and in Norway older respondents used convenience food less often than the young. Generally, the use of convenience food was most frequent among those living alone. The effects of education and occupation were small, implying that the phase of life is more important than social stratification in explaining convenience food consumption. In the St. Petersburg data, there were no differences related to social background.     

A Comparative Assessment of Consumer and Non-Consumer Preference for Beef Cuts Consumption in Malaysia

Malaysia is currently enjoying an economic revival, resulting in a rising per capita income and an increasing urban population. There are consumers whose taste buds have become more accustomed to international cuisines, including meaty Western food, to satisfy their quest for diversity in their new lifestyles. This group of consumers in Malaysia plays an important role in shaping the rising trend in the consumption of meat products, and this changing attitude calls for empirical research to clarify factors shaping it. The results also indicate that there are three factors (attributes of beef cuts, quality and safety, and the variety of Malaysian dishes) that greatly influence the preference for beef consumers toward their consumption of beef cuts. It was also determined that four factors that influenced the preference for non-beef consumers are price of beef cuts, lifestyle, risk associated with beef cuts consumption, taste, and preferences influencing non-beef consumers.     

Throwing It All Away: Exploring Affluent Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Wasting Edible Food

The skewed allocation of food across the world population is a major concern, as the result is that some of us live in abundant supply while others spend their life in constant scarcity. While researchers have studied a variety of issues related to the amounts of food being wasted, or the waste of edible food across consumers with different demographic characteristics, less is known about the drivers of attitudes toward food waste. Based on survey data from a sample of affluent Norwegian consumers, we test how subjective food knowledge, environmental concern, age, and income are related to consumer attitudes toward wasting edible food. We find that all variables except income drive consumer attitudes. Implications for theory and public policy are offered.     

Hispanic consumer acculturation and food safety concerns

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Hispanic consumer acculturation on concerns about food safety and pesticide residues, and attitudes toward pesticide-related agricultural practices. Two 3-min bilingual, English and Spanish, videos presenting information on integrated pest management (IPM) farming practices were shown in controlled settings to Californian Hispanic consumers (n = 91). Findings reveal that acculturation among Hispanic consumers, language of use and length of residency in the United States, are significant factors associated with consumer concerns about the safety of domestic grown and imported produce at the supermarket. Overall, however the research suggests a substantial lack of information by Hispanic consumers regardless of level of acculturation. Pre- and post-video survey results show significant change in attitude among Hispanic consumers toward food safety, farming practices, and university efforts to help farmers control pests and assist with other management techniques. These findings suggest that bilingual educational programmes on food safety and the use of pesticides by farmers would be appropriate.     

An Investigation of People's Time Orientation,Attitudes, and Behavior Toward Advertising in an International Context

ABSTRACT

Past studies have indicated that there are cross-cultural/national differences among people's perception of time and how they use time available for them and what factors affect their time-related purchasing and consumption decisions. It is stated that each culture or subculture could have its own dominant construct of time. The present study examines time use and orientation and time attitudes toward different activities, including advertising in an emerging economy of Georgia. Study results indicate that present orientation and consciousness of future, planning orientation, time saving, realization of present in the light of past, and action orientation are salient factors channeling time orientations of Georgian consumers.