Consumer Perceptions Of Foods Research Articles

Cognitive styles influence eating environment-induced variations in consumer perception of food: A case study with Pad Thai noodle

Nearly every aspect of the eating environment can impact how consumers perceive their meal, including table setting styles. Previous studies have found that consumers have contrasting thinking styles (analytic versus holistic) and these opposing styles induce consumers to process their surroundings divergently. Thus, this study aimed at determining whether the effect of table setting condition on food perception could differ as a function of cognitive style. A total of 138 healthy adults completed this study, with the cognitive style tendencies gathered through a screening questionnaire using the Analysis-Holism Scale (AHS). Participants evaluated a Pad Thai noodle meal in two conditions: a traditional sensory laboratory table setting and a fine dining table setting. Participants evaluated their perception of the samples through categorical scaling and check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions. Mean comparison and correlation models found a significant relationship between participant cognitive style and table setting effect on food perception ratings, indicating a relationship between analytic-holistic tendencies and the effect of the eating environment. Specifically, as participants had stronger holistic associations, the table setting cues impacted food perception ratings more. These findings support prior theoretical research detailing how analytic and holistic individuals will process environmental cues differently, which contributes to a base of knowledge of applying the analytic-holistic theory to consumer-food scenarios. In future sensory studies, findings should elucidate where these analytic and holistic differences are most prominent. Concurrently, this study opens a new door within the robust eating environment research regarding how prior findings in this area can be influenced by consumers’ cognitive styles and their cultural backgrounds.

China and the USA, a higher perceived risk for UK consumers in a post COVID-19 food system: the impact of country of origin and ethical information on consumer perceptions of food

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted global food systems and consumer eating habits. The current study explores how country of origin and ethical status information impacts attitudes toward food. Methods: A within-subjects survey design explored how perceptions of food safety/risk, animal welfare, deliciousness, purchase intention, energy density, carbon footprint of three foods (chicken, pasta, apples) are influenced by country of origin and ethical status information (UK, EU, China, USA, Fairtrade, Organic). Data were collected from 701 UK-based participants using an online survey from the 25-30th March, following the UK lockdown (23 March 2020). Results: Perceptions of food safety, animal welfare, purchase intention, deliciousness and carbon footprint are influenced by origin and ethical status information. Chicken from the USA and China is perceived to be higher risk and have lower animal welfare standards. Apples from the USA and China are perceived to be higher risk. Pasta from China is perceived to be higher risk. Energy density estimations are not influenced by origin and ethical status information. Conclusions: Consumer perceptions are influenced by country of origin and ethical information; foods from China are perceived least favourably, followed by foods from the USA; foods from the UK, EU, Organic or Fairtrade are perceived more favourably. The impact of origin and ethical information varies by food type with the perception of some foods appearing less susceptible to influence. These findings have implications for post COVID-19 (and post Brexit) food system, trade policy and public trust, and highlight the need for communication of food safety.

China and the USA, a higher perceived risk for UK consumers in a post COVID-19 food system: the impact of country of origin and ethical information on consumer perceptions of food

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted global food systems and consumer eating habits. The current study explores how country of origin and ethical status information impacts attitudes toward food. Methods: A within-subjects survey design explored how perceptions of food safety/risk, animal welfare, deliciousness, purchase intention, energy density, carbon footprint of three foods (chicken, pasta, apples) are influenced by country of origin and ethical status information (UK, EU, China, USA, Fairtrade, Organic). Data were collected from 701 UK-based participants using an online survey from the 25-30th March, following the UK lockdown (23rd March 2020). Results: Perceptions of food safety, animal welfare, purchase intention, deliciousness and carbon footprint are influenced by origin and ethical status information. Chicken from the USA and China is perceived to be higher risk and have lower animal welfare standards. Apples from the USA and China are perceived to be higher risk. Pasta from China is perceived to be higher risk. Energy density estimations are not influenced by origin and ethical status information. Conclusions: Consumer perceptions are influenced by country of origin and ethical information; foods from China are perceived least favourably, followed by foods from the USA; foods from the UK, EU, Organic or Fairtrade are perceived more favourably. The impact of origin and ethical information varies by food type with the perception of some foods appearing less susceptible to influence. These findings have implications for post COVID-19 (and post Brexit) food system, trade policy and public trust, and highlight the need for communication of food safety.

Assessing the Importance of Health in Choosing a Restaurant: An Empirical Study from Romania.

In the context of a spectacular growth of the Romanian restaurant market, it has become a necessity for managers to analyze the decision-making process related to restaurant selection toward obtaining a competitive advantage, which can be achieved through better segmentation and adequate targeting. The main objectives involved the identification of the main factors that influence restaurant selection by evaluating the role that health concerns play in this process and identifying consumers’ restaurant profiles. A survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews as the contact method, in order to identify the main factors considered important for consumers in the city of Cluj-Napoca in the decision-making process related to restaurant selection. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to group the attributes. The non-hierarchical cluster analysis through the use of the k-means method was used to define different groups within the sample and identify common features. Results suggest that the analyzed restaurant market is dominated by three segments of consumers, of which the largest is represented by “health seekers”: a group of young women with medium and low incomes. As such, the possibility of consuming healthy meals within a restaurant is the most important factor for them during the decision-making process for restaurant selection. The present study has important managerial implications. Restaurant managers should admit that this process represents the starting point in designing restaurant concepts, as this type of information is fundamental for management decisions. On the other hand, the study offers important information regarding consumer perception of food, which has recently changed significantly, especially in the segment of young consumers to whom health is very important.

Quality of life, well-being and wellness: Measuring subjective health for foods and other products

This paper introduces the conceptualization and measurement of quality of life, well-being, and wellness. Wellness, quality of life and well-being refer to the positive, subjective state that is opposite to illness. Thus, wellness is not the just absence of disease and the absence of illness; it is a separate positive state. Quality of life, well-being, and wellness are often discussed and described in terms of a multidimensional model. The strongest dimensions are physical, social, emotional/psychological, intellectual, and spiritual. The measurement of these positive dimensions of health have produced literally thousands of different measures, but most of them have been developed in a clinical setting and have been applied to specific disease conditions. Many of the existing clinical measures of wellness, well-being, and quality of life are very long, often over 100 items, and not suited to consumer research. Measures of quality of life and of well-being have focused on overall functioning. Quality of life of measures have been developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and translated in many languages. Subjective well being has been defined as the combination of positive-negative affect balance and satisfaction with life, and is measured with two standard measures of these attributes. Wellness has largely been measured in the fields of clinical and counseling psychology; one new product oriented measure is the WellSense™ Profile (King et al., 2015). Wellness, well-being, and quality of life can be important additions to the measures studied in consumer perception of food and other consumer products.

Factors influencing the consumer preference for colour and flavour added food products:A study in Bengaluru city

Colour is important in consumer perception of food and it is often associated with a specific flavour. Adding colours and flavours to food materials like commercial, traditional and street foods is mainly intended to attract the consumer since time immemorial. The present study on consumer preference for colour and flavour added food products in Bengaluru city was under taken for the year 2013-14 in Bengaluru city of Karnataka. Best Worst scaling technique, used to analyze the data. The consumer’s highest importance given to the factor “liked by family” for adding colour and flavour in domestic cooking. The findings of the study indicated that for food manufacturing firms “better price realization” was the most important factor which influenced the preference for adding colour and flavour in food followed by “to enhance appetizing value”. This implies the need for the proprietors of food manufacturing firms should focus on customized blends and apply variety of hues and flavour accordingly, so as to make their products more marketable and achieve efficiency in their business.

Consumer Perceptions of Qualified Health Claims in Advertising

This working paper presents the findings of copy test research on consumer perceptions of food and dietary supplement print advertisements containing qualified health claims for diet-disease relationships that lack a high level of scientific support. The research was motivated by court decisions that struck down the Food and Drug Administration's outright ban on such claims in labeling. The decisions effectively have placed the burden on the government to allow qualified claims for these diet-disease relationships unless it can demonstrate that consumers are unable to understand qualifications characterizing the true level of certainty in the relevant scientific evidence. My findings indicate that qualified language can have a significant impact on consumer evaluation of scientific certainty. My research also suggests, however, that it will be a difficult task to craft qualifications in advertising that communicate a low level of scientific certainty. None of the tested disclaimers, whether appearing in real advertisements for real products or in fictitious advertisements, communicated serious limitations in scientific evidence (i.e. science that FDA would rate at a D level). In addition, consumers interpreted all of the tested advertisements in widely disparate fashion. For example, although consumers seeing an ad for a fictitious antioxidant vitamin supplement on average rated the degree of scientific evidence correctly at a C level of support, approximately two-thirds of the consumers either overestimated or underestimated the certainty of the science.

One ecosystem, one food system: the social and ecological context of food safety strategies

Eating is the most intimate relationship people can have with their environment. As people have migrated, in very large numbers, from various parts of the globe, as well as from the countryside to the city, they have brought to their new homes not only their intimate familial relationships, but also their intimate environmental relationships. Intraand international trade in human foods and animal feeds amounting to billions of dollars annually support these transplanted eating habits. Infectious disease agents, toxins and environmental contaminants of all sorts are globally distributed along with these foods. Furthermore, the internationalization of a substantial portion of the food industry, along with urbanization, has resulted in unrealistic consumer perceptions of food, and fostered ecologically and socially unsound food production and food safety practices, which themselves are creating new food safety problems. Effective food safety strategies, which by necessity must account for the contamination of the environment in which the food is grown, as well as the environments through which it passes on the way to the consumer, need to be global in both breadth (socially and geographically) and depth (ecologically). As well, the desire for democratic social control now evident throughout the world, along with this diversity of culinary tastes, suggest that a successful global food safety strategy would do well to reflect the kinds of diversity and complex interactions seen in natural ecosystems.