Consumer Choice Research Articles

Overcoming the Challenge of “Green Enough”: Exploring the Dark Side of Incremental Green Options

ABSTRACTPrevious research has predominantly focused on transitioning individuals’ behavior from environmentally unfriendly to environmentally friendly, ignoring the challenge of how to replace incremental green options with the most green ones. Contrary to the widely held belief that all “green” options are beneficial, this study investigates when and how incremental green options— options offering some environmental benefits but not fully pro‐environmental—can reduce individuals’ willingness to choose the most green option. We discovered that individuals tend to forgo the most green options when incremental green options are available (Study 1, Study 2 & Study 3). Furthermore, by informing participants about the adequacy of different levels of environmental friendliness, we found that the options just surpassing the designated threshold were the most popular (Study 2). Additionally, the anticipated guilt mediates the negative effect of incremental green options (Study 2, Study 3, and Study 4). Study 3 reveals that when individual environmental efficacy is activated, the negative impact of presence of incremental green options on consumer choice of the most green ones is mitigated. Study 4 finds that more consumers chose the most green option over the incremental green option when the latter was presented with negative framing or two‐sided framing (compared to positive framing). This study offers a new perspective on pro‐environmental behavior research and enhance our understanding of the role of incremental green options in green marketing.

Long-Run Behavior and Convergence of Dynamic Mean Field Equilibria

AbstractWe study the behavior of dynamic equilibria in mean field games with large time horizons in a dynamic consumer choice model. We show that if the stationary equilibrium in the associated infinite horizon game is unique, the dynamic equilibria of the finite horizon games converge to the stationary equilibrium of the infinite horizon game as the time horizon tends to infinity. If the stationary equilibrium is not unique, however, the situation becomes more involved. In this case, we show that in addition to convergence to the stationary equilibria, in the long run, the dynamic equilibria circle around randomized stationary equilibria for certain choices of boundary data.

Influences on Consumer Behaviour Regarding the Purchase Intention of Poultry Products

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify factors influencing effective purchasing behaviours in the context of poultry products. Theoretical Framework: The investigation into agricultural product purchases remains a relatively under-researched area within academic literature, particularly concerning detailed analyses of consumer behaviour. This study responds to the theoretical need raised by Pang et al. (2021) to apply their research methodology to different contexts. Method: The methodology adopted for this research was an online survey with a sample of 358 individuals in Colombia. The data analysis was carried out using Structural Equations Modelling with structures in variance. Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed that aspects such as Trust, Corporate ability, Brand positioning, Consumer cognition and Health consciousness are crucial for consumers of these products. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed indicate that aspects such as Trust, Corporate ability, Brand positioning, Consumer cognition and Health consciousness are crucial for consumers of these products. These factors are considered critical for consumers engaged in purchasing these types of products and provide substantive insights for the broader market of primary consumer goods. Originality/Value: The findings contribute to the scarce literature on consumer behaviour in agricultural product purchasing, offering a nuanced understanding of the determinants that drive consumer choices in this sector.

The opinion of pharmacists about the pharmaceutical category of herbal medicines. Survey of pharmacy retail employees

Abstract. The category of herbal medicines is represented in the domestic pharmaceutical market in the form of two main groups of pharmacy product assortment – herbal medicinal preparations (HMP) and dietary supplements (DS). They often have similarities in terms of composition, dosage form, and scope of application. Hence, attitude of professional specialists that influence consumer demand and choice, to these groups of pharmacy products is important to be considered. Aim. The purpose of the study is to assess the level of knowledge, prevailing ideas, differences in the perception of HMP and DS among pharmacists working in pharmacy retail. Materials and methods. The survey of pharmacists was conducted using a specially designed questionnaire using the Google forms electronic resource. 162 specialists with at least 1 year of experience in the pharmacy sector participated in the study. The study was conducted on the basis of the “Evalar Pharmacy” pharmacy network, specializing in the sale of herbal medicines. Results. The majority of the surveyed specialists noted urological (54.0%) and neurological diseases (52.1%) as therapeutic areas where herbal medicines have real clinical value. The leading role of retail pharmacists in the choice of products by consumers was noted by 40.1% of respondents. The possibility of replacing HMP with DS in 38.0% of cases is completely denied by them, in 50.0% and 12,0% it is allowed if desired by the patient himself or in any case respectively. 59.3% of specialists point out the difference in the regulatory status of HMP and DS to consumers in their practice. In the majority of cases, they need reliable information about clinical trials on efficacy (73.6%), as well as the quality and safety of products (52.1%). Conclusions. The results of the survey show that pharmaceutical specialists are well aware of the scope, advantages and disadvantages of the phytopreparation category, see differences in HMP and DS, but in their professional activities they are more guided by the opinion of consumers.

Empowering Consumer Decision-Making: Decoding Incentive vs. Organic Reviews for Smarter Choices Through Advanced Textual Analysis

Online reviews play a crucial role in influencing seller–customer dynamics. This research evaluates the credibility and consistency of reviews based on volume, length, and content to understand the impacts of incentives on customer review behaviors, how to improve review quality, and decision-making in purchases. The data analysis reveals major factors such as costs, support, usability, and product features that may influence the impact. The analysis also highlights the indirect impact of company size, the direct impact of user experience, and the varying impacts of changing conditions over the years on the volume of incentive reviews. This study uses methodologies such as Sentence-BERT (SBERT), TF-IDF, spectral clustering, t-SNE, A/B testing, hypothesis testing, and bootstrap distribution to investigate how semantic variances in reviews could be used for personalized shopping experiences. It reveals that incentive reviews have minimal to no impact on purchasing decisions, which is consistent with the credibility and consistency analysis in terms of volume, length, and content. The negligible impact of incentive reviews on purchase decisions underscores the importance of authentic online feedback. This research clarifies how review characteristics sway consumer choices and provides strategic insights for businesses to enhance their review mechanisms and customer engagement.

Petrol Pumps to Power Plugs: Is the Surge in Electric Two-Wheeler Adoption in Kathmandu Due to Unstable Petroleum Prices?

Since the dawn of the 21st century, the awareness towards environmental concern and sustainability slowly began to rise and the “Electric Wave” truly encompassed the world with electric automobiles. Nepal was no exception to this global electric wave. This research explores a key determinant behind this transition, the influence of fluctuating petroleum price. Using secondary data obtained from registrations of electric and petroleum two-wheelers at the Transport Management Office in Kathmandu, under the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Transport as well as historical petrol prices over the past 4 years from 2019 to 2023, this research seeks to offer valuable insights into the connection between petrol prices and the adoption of electric vehicles in Kathmandu, Nepal. Using SPSS software, a linear regression analysis was conducted and it revealed that while petroleum prices played a role, they were not the sole determinant affecting adoption. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable transportation choices and their drivers. It provides valuable insights for policymakers, consumers, and industry stakeholders, as it underscores the influence of fuel prices on consumer choices and the potential for electric two-wheelers to become a viable alternative in the context of Kathmandu’s urban transport.

Consumer Choice in Mortgage Loans Cross-Selling

Consumer Choice in Mortgage Loans Cross-Selling

A Study of Consumer Awareness Regarding Health Issues Caused by Consumption of Cold Drinks in Ahmedabad City

This study explores consumer awareness regarding health issues caused by the consumption of cold drinks in Ahmedabad city. The research examines associations between age, reasons for cold drink consumption (e.g., taste, habit, socializing), and the occurrence of health problems such as diabetes, digestive issues, and dental problems. It also investigates how consumers gather information about the health impacts of cold drinks, with a focus on sources such as social media, family/friends, schools, and health professionals. The findings reveal weak associations between age and reasons for consumption, suggesting that cold drink preferences are not strongly age-dependent. However, digestive issues are more significantly associated with cold drink consumption compared to other health risks like diabetes and dental problems.The study also highlights the importance of labeling and natural ingredients in influencing consumer choices, as well as the role of government campaigns in raising health awareness. Practical implications include the need for targeted public health campaigns, clearer product labeling, and promoting healthier beverage alternatives. The findings suggest that age-specific interventions, especially leveraging social media for younger consumers, can be effective in raising awareness and promoting healthier behaviors. Future research should explore psychological and behavioral drivers, evaluate the effectiveness of public health interventions, and investigate long-term health impacts to provide deeper insights into cold drink consumption patterns and their health consequences

Supply- and demand-side drivers of the change in the sugar density of food purchased between 2015 and 2018 in Great Britain.

The UK government launched a two-component sugar-reduction programme in 2016, one component is the taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, and the second is a voluntary sugar reduction programme for products contributing most to children's sugar intakes. These policies provided incentives both for industry to change the products they sell and for people to change their food and beverage choices through a 'signalling' effect that has raised awareness of excess sugar intakes in the population. In this study, we aimed to identify the relative contributions of the supply- and demand-side drivers of changes in the sugar density of food and beverages purchased in Great Britain. While we found that both supply- and demand-side drivers contributed to decreasing the sugar density of beverage purchases (reformulation led to a 19 % reduction, product renewal 14 %, and consumer switching between products 8 %), for food products it was mostly supply-side drivers (reformulation and product renewal). Reformulation contributed consistently to a decrease in the sugar density of purchases across households, whereas changes in consumer choices were generally in the opposite direction, offsetting benefits of reformulation. We studied the social gradient of sugar density reduction for breakfast cereals, achieved mostly by reformulation, and found increased reductions in sugar purchased by households of lower socio-economic status. Conversely, there was no social gradient for soft drinks. We conclude that taxes and reformulation incentives are complementary and combining them in a programme to improve the nutritional quality of foods increases the probability of improvements in diet quality.

Consumer Moral Decision Making: The Impact of Alignable Versus Nonalignable Differences

Abstract Consumer choice decisions often involve a tradeoff between an alignable difference (a difference along a shared attribute) and a nonalignable difference (a difference between unique attributes of each alternative). For example, Café A provides friendly service, while Café B offers unwelcoming service (an alignable difference). However, Café A occasionally makes billing errors, and Café B has comfortable seating (a non-alignable difference). Prior research shows that alignable differences tend to have a greater impact on choice than nonalignable differences (known as the “alignability effect”). Yet, little research has examined tradeoffs involving moral attributes. Contrary to the prevailing evidence, eight studies (N = 2,861) demonstrate that in moral attribute tradeoffs, nonalignable (vs. alignable) differences have a greater impact on choice (termed the “nonalignability effect”). Consequently, consumers prefer an alternative that is superior on a nonalignable moral difference but inferior on an alignable moral difference. Moreover, in moral-quality tradeoffs, where one alternative is more ethical but is of lower quality, consumers show a stronger preference for the ethical alternative when its moral superiority is represented by a nonalignable (vs. alignable) difference. The nonalignability effect is driven by consumers’ unique decision process in making moral attribute tradeoffs, characterized by categorical valence coding and attribute-by-attribute win-loss counting.

What do urban consumers want? Findings from a discrete choice experiment on the preference for locally produced staple food in Central Africa: Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

ABSTRACT A discrete choice experiment in Kinshasa (DRC) investigated urban consumers' preferences between imports and local options for five staple foods – cassava, rice, maize, sugar and cooking oil – under a random utility model. We also examined how distance, packaging and price influenced consumer choice. To assess whether preferences could be manipulated, we introduced two treatment groups – local, import – and a control group. We did not find support for a preference for imports. Instead, there is a statistically significant preference for local products, with the exception of sugar. Respondents are willing to pay 28% more for local food, a premium quantified at 1540 CF (.93 USD) per kg for maize and 1091CF (.66 USD) per litre for oil. Packaging is an attribute of influence as the willingness to pay (WTP) in full remains positive when products interact with packaging and with price. There is demand for local products for which consumers are willing to pay a premium. Yet, DRC imports 1.5 billion dollars of food yearly with only 10% of its arable land exploited. The increased urban consumption of imports does not signify a bias against local products, but rather points to structural issues undermining local supply. DRC needs to develop local value chains linking rural farmers to urban markets through the transformation of local foods to meet urban needs and to convert the WTP into a producer surplus benefiting rural livelihoods.

Factors Driving Consumption Preferences for Fresh Mango and Mango-Based Products in Italy and Brazil

In many European countries the consumption of tropical fruit is constantly growing, and people are increasingly turning to diets rich in fruit and vegetables. In this context, mango is considered a super-food for its nutritional medium-high energy value. Produced mainly in developing countries, tropical fruits animate an interesting international market. Production in Mediterranean countries is also growing and is increasingly requested in European markets. The aim of this work is to investigate the factors that drive the inclination to purchase fresh mango and mango food and drinks in Italy and Brazil in order to observe consumer preferences in the two countries. The personal experiences, motivations and choices of consumers regarding fresh mango and mango-based products were taken into consideration. Through an online survey, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered in Italy and Brazil which led to a total sample of 453 participants. The data were statistically analyzed, and a PLS-SEM model was used to empirically examine the factors influencing the consumption of fresh mango and mango food and drinks. The research hypotheses are all supported. For a comparison between the two countries, a multigroup analysis (PLS-MGA) was performed. In Italy, consumers are attentive to the quality and safety of the fruit; they choose the point of sale where they buy fresh mango or mango foods because they trust the seller to guarantee the fruit’s origin and transformation. In Brazil, new consumer trends are emerging especially in gastronomy; since they are local foods, they are considered safe, sustainable and healthy by consumers. The study addresses a little-explored topic and aims to enrich the debate on consumer orientations, preferences and reasons for buying mango and mango products.

Are successful business people beneficial to society: an analysis based on consumer preferences

Common perceptions may view successful business people with suspicion, assuming that their achievements are gained at the expense of others or through less-than-ethical means. However, a fundamental truth about genuine success in business is that business should inherently benefit others. This article argues that despite potential negative impacts, through responsible business practices and appropriate regulation, successful business people can effectively cover their potential negative effects in both wealth creation and expenditure processes. Successful business people will increase social welfare by promoting job creation, driving innovation, and dedicating themselves to charitable causes. This article further adopts the basic concept of “prisoner’s dilemma” in game theory to analyze the evolving relationship between business practices and consumer choices. It explains how consumer preferences shape corporate behavior, leading to more socially responsible and environmentally sustainable practices.

Monopoly and Quality Omission

This study delves into a market characterized by vertical product differentiation. Product qualities are represented on a one-dimensional interval scale. The research investigates the equilibrium within a monopoly scenario, considering a production cost that is strictly convex. The monopoly offers a strategy comprising various quality–price combinations, with consumer choices determining profits. The analysis involves a comparison between two analogous models: one with a continuous range of consumers and the other with a finite number of consumers. The study explores disparities in the potential for market failure between these two settings. Notably, numerical illustrations underscore these divergences in both market contexts.

Choice, Psychological Ownership, and Option Valuation

ABSTRACTIn the past few decades, there have been concerns of a possible “choice overload effect” in that the provision of more (vs. less) choice might decrease choice satisfaction as it increases the difficulty of selecting an option among many. However, beyond choice satisfaction, there are other outcomes of offering more choices worth investigating. We examine another potential outcome of offering more choices. The results from four experiments suggest that offering more choice increases the chooser's valuation of the chosen option, relative to offering less choice. This is because offering choice increases the chooser's psychological ownership of the chosen option, a premise derived from prior conceptualizations of choice as fostering control. Thus, we extend theoretical understanding of the consequences of offering choice beyond satisfaction, while at the same time offer implications for marketers interested in understanding the benefits—in addition to the potential harms—of offering choice for consumers.

High Pressure Processing: Pros and Cons

The food industry now uses high pressure processing to increase the shelf life of foods and maintain their nutritional value. This non-thermal preservation technique can successfully inactivate rotting and spoilage-causing bacteria and enzymes without the need for high temperatures during the preservation process. Food is exposed to high pressure, usually in the range of 100 to 600 MPa. High-performance processing keeps food at or slightly above room temperature to prevent heat-sensitive flavors and nutrients from being thermally destroyed during food preparation. This contributes to the preservation of the natural sensory and nutritional properties of the product. Because this process is able to eliminate bacteria and organisms responsible for spoilage, it is a very efficient way to increase the time available to eat foods. Unlike traditional heat-based methods, HPP inactivates harmful microorganisms and enzymes through the application of extreme pressure (100–600 MPa) at low temperatures, thereby reducing thermal degradation. HPP also helps retain bioactive compounds, making it an ideal choice for consumers looking for minimally processed, high-quality foods. This article explores the principles, applications, and benefits of HPP, as well as the challenges and future prospects of its integration into food processing systems.

What about QR codes on wine bottles? A statistical analysis of technology's influence on purchase decisions among Italian wine consumers

The growing significance of information availability about products for consumers represents a pivotal dimension in contemporary consumer behavior and decision-making processes. In the context of an ever-evolving global marketplace characterized by a huge number of choices, rapid technological advancements and increased consumer awareness, access to comprehensive product information has emerged as a fundamental factor affecting consumers' preferences, choices, and satisfaction levels. There is a significant scientific gap on Italian wine consumers' readiness to adopt emerging technologies. Therefore, the research objective is to investigate whether Italian wine consumers trust and are willing to use emerging technologies such as Quick Response (QR) code and Blockchain Technology (BCT) and to identify the factors influencing their acceptance. By examining and evaluating several crucial aspects in the context of wine purchases in Italy using an online survey, this work seeks to fill the gap in the literature. These crucial elements include customers' propensity for novelty, information-seeking behaviors, faith in new technology, and the intention to use them during wine purchasing. What can be derived is the positive interconnection between consumers novelty-seeking, information-seeking, intention to use the QR code and trust in emerging technologies. With other words, consumers' information-seeking and novelty-seeking is interconnected and they positively determine consumers trust in technologies and their adoption. The implications of this study are twofold. Firstly, it enriches consumer behavior theory by providing new insights into how information availability and emerging technologies influence consumers’ decision-making processes, particularly in the context of the Italian wine market. Secondly, businesses can leverage these insights to enhance consumer trust and satisfaction, enabling them to make more effective marketing strategies, improve product transparency, and gain a competitive edge in the increasingly competitive wine market.

When social media sharing backfires: how early sharing intention shapes divergent consumer choices

When social media sharing backfires: how early sharing intention shapes divergent consumer choices

Understanding Consumer Beliefs and Choices Related to Food Safety: A Qualitative Study in Urban Ethiopia.

Provide an in-depth examination of consumers' food safety beliefs and practices to draw implications for interventions to improve nutrition and food safety in Ethiopia. Adapted Focused Ethnographic Study approach using in-person semi-structured interviews and free-listing exercises, in two iterative phases. A traditional food market in Hawassa, a mid-sized city. Forty-six market shoppers, selected randomly in line with quotas for age and gender. Consumers did not clearly differentiate between quality and safety, seeing them through connected concepts such as 'freshness'. While most respondents had some understanding of the causes of unsafe food, they did not generally worry about becoming ill themselves and felt food safety risks were easily mitigated through in-home behaviors. Thus, food safety practices were not a main motivator of market or vendor choice. There was no evidence that food safety concerns led consumers to prefer packaged, processed food or to avoid consuming fresh foods.Discussion: The study offers novel depth and detail on a topic of strong policy relevance. While building on an encouraging base of understanding of food safety, there remains considerable scope for increasing knowledge, particularly with regards to the need to procure safe food as opposed to expecting household-level practices to mitigate all safety risks. Motivating customers to give food safety factors more consideration when making food purchasing decisions, such as by leveraging emotion-based communication from trusted messengers to elevate the issue's salience in their minds, may contribute to improvements in food safety in low-income countries such as Ethiopia.

Tastes on Wheels: Exploring Consumer Value Perceptions, Enjoyment and Choice Behavior in the Food Truck Market

Tastes on Wheels: Exploring Consumer Value Perceptions, Enjoyment and Choice Behavior in the Food Truck Market