A Proposal of the Buying Model for Fresh Food Products

Abstract

This paper develops a model of buying intention for food products based on consumer information, habits and prior experience, contrasting it with a perishable product such as fresh mussels. The model studies what influence the attitude and confidence shown by the subject have in evaluating the product in the intention to buy. Also analysed is the influence that habits and previous experience have on the formation of consumer preference and the intention to buy the product. A structural equation model is used to identify these variables and constructs as well as the relations established between them. Furthermore, strategies are presented for both consumers and managers designed to reduce the perceived risk associated with buying fresh mussels. The purpose of this is to reduce the risk perceived by consumers and prevent it from curtailing mollusc purchases.     

The dynamics of household beef consumption in Cameroon

Recent changes in economic conditions have introduced notable changes in household beef consumption patterns in Cameroon. While consumers are concerned about the short- and long-run effects of these factors on beef consumption habits, policy makers are more worried about the appropriate period necessary for households to make complete adjustments in consumption since this information is vital for planning production. Static and dynamic demand frameworks involving the Nerlovian partial adjustment (PA) model are used to capture the dynamic nature of beef consumption parameters. Maximum likelihood estimates of the PA model reveal that the conditioning variables explain 79% of the variation in beef consumption. Income, previous consumption, own-price and prices of fish and pork are jointly important in explaining beef consumption habits. Beef is a normal good with pork and fish as substitutes and chicken as a complement. Long-run price and income elasticities are greater than but not significantly different from their short-run values, suggesting that adjustment in consumption is fast with about 80% of the difference between actual and ‘desired’ consumption being completed in about 2 years. Projections show that demand for beef will reach 109620 t by the year 2000. giving an incremental total and per capita demand of 31 730 tons and 1.84 kg, respectively.     

The impact of customer ratings on consumer choice of fresh produce: A stated preference experiment approach

The importance of customer ratings or reviews in online shopping has been recognized in the previous literature; however, few have studied how online customer rating scores affect consumers’ fresh produce purchases and its importance relative to other fresh produce attributes. The quality of fresh produce demonstrates high uncertainty and variation; therefore, the impact of user-generated content such as customer rating scores on the choice of fresh produce may be more complex than on other product categories. Moreover, previous studies on customer ratings have not examined the price premium that retailers can obtain based on better ratings of fresh produce. Using a stated preference approach (i.e., choice experiment), this study measures the willingness to pay for a higher customer rating score and explores its relative importance to other popular fresh produce attributes (i.e., organic, place of origin, and shelf life). The results show that customer rating is the second most important attribute after the place of origin and is more important than production methods (e.g., organic and naturally grown) for fresh strawberry purchases. Also, rating scores demonstrate a diminishing marginal impact on consumer willingness to pay. Younger consumers and households with children are willing to pay more for fresh produce with high ratings than those with low ratings.     

Market Integration of Fish in Europe

This paper examines market integration between fish species in Europe, taking international market integration into account. Based on Juselius (2006) , market integration is found both on the fresh and frozen markets. The Law of One Price is in force on the fresh market within the segments of flatfish and pelagic fish. Assuming transitivity, a loose form of market integration is identified between 13 fresh and seven frozen fish species, and the relative prices are found fairly stable. The policy implication is that catch limitation measures implemented through the Common Fisheries Policy have limited and conditional effects on prices, because of the large size of the market and varying market integration. Therefore, many fishermen are not ‘compensated’ by price increases as a result of catch limitation measures.     

Health-Orientation and Socio-Demographic Characteristics as Determinants of Fish Consumption

There are many research on consumer perception of fish product attributes. To increase fish consumption, as recommended by international health organizations and dietary guidelines, there is a need to better understand what drives consumers to fish consumption behaviour. The objective of the research is to explore determinants of fish frequency consumption, with focus on healthy attitude and socio-demographic or family structure characteristics. The research interviewed 740 consumers face-to-face. Data elaboration includes a factor analysis, with PCA and Varimax rotation, and multiple multivariate linear regressions. Results show that consumer health-orientation and social influences are better drivers to increase fish consumption frequency, compared to socio-economic characteristics, including households with children. Easing consumer time constraints and fish purchasing favor convenience and at home fish consumption frequency. Given the health advantages of higher fish consumption, government initiatives should support fish food industry marketing strategies.     

Consumer Preferences for Organic Food and for the Shares of Meat and Vegetables in an Everyday Meal

Abstract

It is well established that consumers with positive preferences for organic products generally also tend to have healthy eating habits involving many fruits and vegetables but less meat. While most studies are based on single product comparisons, this study investigates consumer preferences for organic ingredients and content of meat and vegetables in the context of an everyday evening meal. Moreover, we address heterogeneity in preferences. The study is based on an online survey including a choice experiment with 506 consumers. Using principal component and latent class analyses, we identify three segments of consumers that differ with respect to preferences for organic production and content of meat and vegetables in their meals. Our findings may be valuable for authorities promoting healthy food consumption just as they provide valuable input to the catering industry and other suppliers of dinner dishes in the development and marketing of both organic and non-organic ready meals.     

Demand for fish in Asia: a cross‐country analysis*

Fish demand patterns in nine Asian countries were investigated using a multistage budgeting framework allowing a disaggregated approach to analysing fish consumption. This paper highlights the heterogeneity of fisheries products in terms of species, sources and cultural responses of consumers, factors that are important in fish demand under the Asian setting. Specifically, fish demand by income groups were compared to determine how the low‐ and high‐income households respond to price and income changes. Results showed that the estimated price and income elasticities of all fish types included in the study were relatively more elastic among the poorer households.     

Consumers Acceptance of Peanut Butter and Products Containing Peanut Butter in Two Southeastern States in the U.S.

Abstract

A sample of 606 students, staff and faculty from Auburn and North Carolina A&T State universities were self-administered a questionnaire to evaluate their weekly consumption of peanut butter and products containing peanut butter. The age group ranged from 16 to 78 years, with the majority coming from households of less than four individuals. Their incomes were fairly evenly distributed, with 38 percent earning above $40,000, 31 percent with $10,000 to $40,000, and 31 percent earning less than $10,000. Age, ethnicity, convenience, whether the product was served as a side dish, peanut flavor, and knowledge of fat content significantly influenced peanut butter consumption; whereas age, ethnicity, income, crunchiness, nutrition, convenience, and consumer's perception of fat level in the product affected the consumption of products containing peanut butter.     

海洋捕捞作业影响因素判别及其作用机理

市场经济条件下,海洋捕捞主体生产行为的最优选择是其自身海洋捕捞作业技术水平、海洋捕捞物资性价比、海洋自然渔业资源存量、作业海域生态环境质量、作业海域自然气候条件、渔获物商品化程度和水产市场价格体系综合作用的结果。在其它因素相对不变的条件下,仅有反映水产市场价格体系变化的捕捞物资价格与渔获物价格的比值与海洋捕捞作业规模呈反向关系,其余六个变量均与海洋捕捞作业规模呈正向关系。     

Demand for improved fish feed in the presence of a subsidy: a double hurdle application in Kenya

Fish farming households’ demand for improved fish feed from the private market in Kenya is potentially influenced by the government's feed subsidy program. This article applies the double‐hurdle model to a cross‐section of fish farms to analyze demand for improved fish feed from private markets, and whether the government feed subsidy program has an effect on private demand for improved feed. The results indicate that households’ decisions to participate in the improved feed market are affected by the quantity of improved feed received from the government. Once the participation decision has been made, we find evidence of crowding‐in of the private improved feed sector; that is, the government's allocations of subsidized feed appear to increase private sector demand. In addition, the price of improved feed negatively affects the quantity purchased as expected. Education, extension contacts, and ease of marketing matured fish increase household propensity to purchase improved feed commercially. Policies that help reduce the price of improved feed such as reduction in tariffs on imported feeds and feed ingredients will foster demand for the feed, as will policies that facilitate marketing of fish at reasonable prices by households.     

基于地域视角的居民淡水鱼户内消费习惯研究

论文基于全国22个省级单位600份调研样本数据,运用结构比较与交叉比较相结合的方法对居民淡水鱼区域间户内消费习惯进行了分析。研究发现,居民对淡水鱼具有较强的消费偏好,消费偏好转化为实际购买行为在区域间存在差异;淡水鱼是居民鱼类消费的主要选择,区域间淡水鱼消费类别存在差异;居民对淡水鱼营养价值认识不高;淡水鱼购买频率和消费量均有提高空间,在此基础上提出了相关政策建议。     

The demand for meat and fish in Spain: Urban and rural areas

The aim of the paper is to explain to what extent meat consumption patterns in Spain are different in rural and urban areas and which are the factors explaining differences and similarities. A demand system using cross-section data from the latest Spanish National Survey has been estimated. Unit values have been used instead of market prices and price and quality effects have been obtained. The main conclusion is that meat consumption patterns in urban and rural areas are not really different as regards economic factors. Some small income and price effect differences have been found, specially for fresh pork and fish, Responses to changes in income and price are higher for fresh pork consumption in rural areas and for fish in urban areas.     

Willingness to Pay for Pesticide Free Fruits: Evidence from Pakistan

ABSTRACT

This paper analyzes factors influencing consumption decision of pesticide free fruits (PFF) and estimates the willingness to pay (WTP) price premium for PFF in Pakistan. A contingent valuation survey of 200 households was conducted using face to face interview and payment card method. Results suggested that 93.5% respondents were WTP higher prices for PFF. Remarkably, around 35% respondents were WTP 16–20% higher prices and 24% respondents were WTP 6–10% higher prices for PFF than the existed conventional price. In addition, our ordered logit regression suggests that demographic and socio-economic variables such as age, education, income, household’s size and perception about health benefits are significantly associated with higher WTP for PFF.     

Chinese animal product consumption in the 1990s

Chinese animal product consumption behaviour was analysed for both urban and rural households using a complete regional consumption dataset that was augmented to include away-from-home consumption. Seven animal product expenditure share equations were estimated with an extended Almost Ideal Demand System model. The results suggest that Chinese consumers will continue to increase their consumption of animal products, but that consumption patterns have changed in the 1990s. A large percentage of household animal product expenditure is still on pork. However, the shares for aquatic and poultry products consumption will increase substantially. As a consequence, the pork expenditure share will be gradually reduced as incomes grow and diet preferences change in both urban and rural households. There are significant differences in animal product consumption preferences across regions of China. As a result, studies that omit regional dummy variables in their demand systems can produce different expenditure and price parameters. The present paper also found that many of the estimates of elasticities and marginal expenditure shares would be rather different if the data ignored consumption away from home.     

Urban water demand with fixed volumetric charging in a large municipality: the case of Brisbane,Australia*

This paper uses suburb‐level quarterly data to model residential water demand in Brisbane, Australia, from 1998 to 2003. In this system, residential consumption is charged using a fixed annual service fee with no water entitlement followed by a fixed volumetric charge per kilolitre. Water demand is specified as average quarterly household water consumption and the demand characteristics include the marginal price of water, household income and size, and the number of rainy and warm days. The findings not only confirm residential water as price and income inelastic, but also that the price and income elasticity of demand in owner‐occupied households is higher than in rented households. The results also show that weather, particularly summer months and the number of rainy days, exerts a strong influence on residential water consumption.     

大城市居民低温奶产品消费及其影响因素分析以北京市为例

目的 低温奶产品是我国唯一可以与国际奶产品相抗衡的产品品类,未来低温奶产品必然在我国形成新的消费趋势,并成为复兴民族乳业的关键。基于此,探究大城市居民的低温奶产品消费认知水平、消费现状及其消费的影响因素既可开拓国内低温奶产品消费市场,也可弥补该产品消费研究的不足,对提高我国奶业国际竞争力具有重要现实意义。方法 文章通过使用2019年北京市8个辖区内的418位城镇居民乳制品消费调研数据,以不同群体特征作为切入点,深度分析大城市居民低温奶产品消费认知水平及消费现状,并借助Heckman两阶段模型考察个人及家庭特征和产品认知信息是否是影响城镇居民低温奶产品消费行为决策和消费水平的主要因素。结果 学生人口数、工作人口数、收入水平以及年龄、职业因素分别影响居民巴氏杀菌奶和低温酸奶的消费行为决策。年龄、教育水平以及性别、人口总数、职业因素分别影响居民巴氏杀菌奶和低温酸奶的消费水平。营养价值、口感风味和制作工艺因素对居民巴氏杀菌奶消费行为决策和消费水平均有显著影响,而保质期和价格因素仅对消费行为决策有显著影响。口感风味、制作工艺和价格因素对居民低温酸奶消费行为决策影响显著,但只有口感风味因素对消费水平有显著影响。结论 城镇居民低温奶产品认知概念薄弱,对营养价值、口感风味和保质期信息的认知程度较高。低温奶产品消费具有区域性差异,消费主力集中在女性人群、40~50岁人群、高学历和高收入人群中。个人和家庭特征以及产品认知信息对城镇居民巴氏杀菌奶和低温酸奶的消费行为决策和消费水平均具有显著影响。未来我国大城市居民的乳制品消费将逐渐趋于新鲜化和休闲化发展,低温奶产品消费将发展为新兴消费趋势,液态奶产品消费结构逐步改善。     

Quarterly Dynamic Relationships Between the U.S. Wheat Market and Wheat-Related Prices for Products Downstream

Abstract

A quarterly VA R econometric model of the reduced form relationships between the U.S. wheat market and prices of processed wheat-related flour, bread, and other bakery products downstream was estimated. The model then simulated under a rise in production- or import-induced increase in wheat quantity, and a decline in wheat price, to examine the dynamic effects on the U.S. wheat market and on processed wheat-related prices downstream. U.S. trade negotiators at the upcoming WTO agricultural round, Federal policy makers, farmers, and agribusiness agents should be interested in the dynamic patterns with which negotiated trade conditions, farm policy alterations, and climatic variation influence wheat quantity and price, and in turn the price of more highly processed wheat-based products downstream.     

On the rebound: estimating direct rebound effects for Australian households

Reducing dependence on fossil fuels by decreasing energy consumption is a common environmental policy. One mechanism used to achieve this is to encourage increased energy efficiency. However, improving efficiency may have an opposing effect and cause an increase in energy consumption if the intensity of use changes. This phenomenon is known as the rebound effect. We estimate direct rebound effects for energy use in Australia based on both aggregate residential energy use data and on household energy expenditure data. Our approach implements a new methodology developed by Hunt and Ryan (2014, Catching on the rebound: Why price elasticities are generally inappropriate measures of rebound effects. Surrey Energy Economics Discussion Paper Series SEEDS 148; 2015, Energy Economics 50, 273) that explicitly relates energy service use with energy source demand and directly incorporates measures of efficiency changes. The results indicate that the rebound effect is relatively high for energy use by Australian households. Due to the unique nature of our household data set, we can examine the influence of demographic and housing characteristics. We find that low‐income households and households with vulnerable members have the largest rebound effects. The relatively large rebound effects found here suggest that consumers gain from efficiency by improved energy services, and thus, policy targeting energy efficiency is not likely to be successful at reducing energy consumption.     

Perpetuating poverty through exclusion from social programmes: lessons from Andhra Pradesh

ABSTRACT

What factors underlie the exclusion of some poor households from welfare programmes? This article analyses the question through a comparative examination of households’ demographic characteristics, social capital and communities’ spatial (dis)advantage as determinants of enrolment in three social programmes in Andhra Pradesh, India. The main findings indicate that traditionally marginalised demographic groups do not experience programme exclusion significantly more than other groups, but that households’ social-network capital and communities’ spatial advantage increase households’ programme inclusion. The importance of social capital for programme inclusion wanes, however, in spatially more advantaged communities.     

Household Consumption Patterns of Dairy Products in Bamenda Urban Town; Northwest Province,Cameroon

An analysis of data collected from 207 households from Bamenda urban town revealed a high preference for fresh milk though actual consumption was low. Only 36% of households reported consuming fresh milk. Apart from butter, all households reported consuming local and imported dairy products on a daily basis. Only 4%, 3% and 16% of low-, medium- and high-income households consumed fresh milk daily, while 7%, 12% and 6% of low-, medium- and high-income households consumed fresh milk weekly. Mean household consumption of fresh milk was 3 kg for the high-income households, 3 kg for the low-, and 2 kg for the medium-income households. Although high-income households spent more money on fresh milk compared to the medium- and low-income households, the proportion of income spent on fresh milk was lowest for the high, followed by medium and low income households. The study suggests the need to organize home-based education programmes on nutrition as a strategy for boosting the consumption of dairy products among low-income households.