Choice Of Food Products Research Articles

On the issue of raising students’ awareness of healthy nutrition using modern information technologies (analytical review)

The ways of using modern digital resources as a tool for motivating and controlling proper nutrition in the choice of food products by schoolchildren are presented. The review provides literature sources for monitoring schoolchildren’s dietary preferences. Analyzed information platforms to raise students’ awareness of healthy eating. Digital technologies provide up-to-date information on healthy eating, healthy lifestyles and can help children and adolescents develop healthy eating habits and cultures. When using digital technologies, it is necessary to carry out educational work with children, with parents, and teachers. The results of the effectiveness of educational programs depend on a properly organized set of preventive measures using modern means of education and communication.

The Theory of Planned Behavior and Food Choice Questionnaire toward Organic Food of Millennials in Vietnam

Purpose: People have become more aware of environmental issues in their community, which has changed their food choices and how they buy green products, especially organic food. This study aimed to combine the food choice questionnaire (FCQ) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to examine the effect of the food choice questionnaire on customers' attitude related to the purchase intention of millennials in Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach: Data is collected from the three most prominent cities in Vietnam with 520 millennial respondents. The data is tested against the research model using structural equation modeling with SMART-PLS 3.2. Findings: The results indicate that the food choice questionnaire significantly affects customers' attitude toward the organic food of millennials in Vietnam. Moreover, the investigation confirmed the theory of planned behavior toward organic food purchasing of millennials in Vietnam. Research limitations/implications: For the limitation, organic food is studied in this investigation exclusively within a certain geographic area. For the academic implication, the contributions of this investigation are that it updates impacts of the food choice questionnaire based on the TPB in the context of millennials' intentions to purchase organic food in Vietnam. This study can enrich the literature on the combination of FCQ and TPB in the study of consumers' choice of organic food products. For the practical implication, businesses will comprehend the significance of the food choice questionnaire for millennials in Vietnam who intend to purchase organic food. For future research, the practitioners can use this study's model to examined in a variety of contexts, such as concerning eco-friendly items. In addition, this model can generally be applied to other food products such as conventional food, safety food, and products in restaurants or food stores. For academicians, the model can extend and develop additional constructs related to personality. For example, combining the big five personality traits, FCQ, and the TPB will further investigate which customer personality influences the intention to purchase food products. Originality/value: Contribute to the extension of TPB with the combination of FCQ and TPB and the study of millennials in Vietnam toward organic food purchasing intention.

Food shopping preferences in the context of logistic chains of food supplies on the example of consumers from the Podkarpackie voivodeship

The article focuses on consumers' dilemmas regarding the choice of food products. Growing consumer awareness is reflected in everyday choices and has both economic and public health significance. Public awareness is generating a tendency to pay attention to health aspects by choosing fresher, better quality and less processed products. Consumers are increasingly interested in short food supply chains and shortening the time it takes to move food “from the field to the table”. Purchasing behavior is conditioned, inter alia, by the individual hierarchy of values professed by the consumer, in which short food supply chains are identified with better quality, lower price and reduced trade margins. Preferences for local and regional products are also observed. The market provides such opportunities, as legal changes introduced in Poland in 2016–2017 enabled farmers to legally sell food products directlyin an unprocessed as well as processed state. Such sales are carried out in short supply chains. A similar phenomenon is also observed among farmers in many EU countries. Short food supply chains play an important role in the process of creating market advantage of agricultural producers, as food products are quickly delivered to the final recipient. Local markets become very important in this case and direct selling, which lost its importance at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, is gaining popularity again. Logistical food supply chains are considered in various scientific fields. They combine organizational and technical, economic, social as well as cultural, and health dilemmas. The aim of this study was to identify preferences of food supply chains in the context of consumer behavior of the inhabitants of south-eastern Poland. The survey was conducted using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) method. The survey shows that respondents associate food quality with the length of the supply chain, in the declarative sphere, they prefer short food supply chains, but do not use them. A sizeable proportion of respondents said they were willing to pay slightly more for safe and wholesome food. Research has confirmed that the modern consumer increasingly recognizes the importance of the healthiness of products, and links this to shortening the food supply chain.

Development of plant based functional food products: a review

The aging population, the increasing prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases, and the need for improved life status have changed attention from only nutrition to a demanding diet maintaining optimal health, opening export opportunities for countries. In response to this demand, companies are developing technologies for processing novel health and wellness products with a globally expanding market. The development and supply of competitive plant-based functional food products, considering consumers’ needs and market conditions, accompanied by consumer research as a crucial trigger for the development of these products, will continue to be essential. Multidisciplinary action is crucial for the development of innovative and high-quality functional food products compared to conventional foods, focusing on the maintenance of well-being. Innovation and the introduction of products with well-substantiated health claims are also expected, along with evidence to assist consumers in making the right choice of functional food products to achieve the promised health benefits. Furthermore, the validation of health claims, the discovery of new bioactive compounds, and the development of consumer-focused plant-derived functional products all require continued attention.

European consumer segments with a high potential for accepting new innovative fish products based on their food-related lifestyle

Consumer lifestyles influence consumer behaviour towards food product choices and provide important insights about the existence of consumer segments that vary in their response to new food products. With the aim to contribute to a more market-oriented enhancement of the European aquaculture industry competitiveness, the objective of this study was to identify and profile food-related lifestyle segments of consumers that vary in terms of their willingness to buy new aquaculture fish products. Data were collected through a survey among respondents in three large European fish markets (Spain, France and Germany, N = 1500 in total). Certain core dimensions of the food-related lifestyle construct were used as segmentation bases. We identified five consumer segments across two country groups. The segments differed mainly in terms of their psychographic profile and their intention to buy new aquaculture fish products. Our results contribute to identifying the most promising European consumer segments in terms of buying intention that can be targeted when promoting new aquaculture fish products. The findings have important strategic marketing implications for the food industry and aquaculture, while highlighting the important role food-related lifestyles can play in European segmentation for new food product development.

Особенности питания, физической активности и массы тела студентов медицинского вуза в период ограничительных мер по COVID-19

BACKGROUND: Pandemics of new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) introduced additional corrections in the style of life of students. Introduction of restrictive measures, transfer to distance learning produce an ambiguous effect on the vital activity of a human including his physical health and diet. AIM: To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 restrictive measures on nutrition, physical activity and body mass of medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sociological, analytical, statistical methods were used. According to the results of a questionnaire survey of 167 third-year students of the medical faculty of Smolensk State Medical University, a comparative assessment of nutrition, physical activity and body weight before the introduction of COVID-19 restrictive measures and in 3 4 months after self-isolation is presented. The reliability of differences in the shares of the characteristic was assessed by the value of Fishers angular transformation coefficient (φ). RESULTS: Diets of medical students were unbalanced both before and during COVID-19 restrictive measures. Changes in the diet during the period of self-isolation took place in 54.2% of the respondents. The number of students with 4 meals a day increased 1.6 times, and with 5 meals 12.9 times. The share of respondents with 2 meals a day decreased 6.3 times. Daytime food intake decreased 1.7 times, and 2.8 times more often the respondents did not have a fixed time of food intake. All medical students refused a full breakfast both before and during the period of self-isolation. The predomination of evening meals decreased 2.4 times. Home-made dishes were consumed 1.2 times more often, semi-finished products 2.4 times less often, and consumption of fast food decreased by 4.2%. Physical activity during the period of self-isolation significantly decreased in every fifth student. Every fourth respondent noticed increase in the body weight. CONCLUSION: Restrictive measures did not change the preferences in the choice of food products by medical students and the habits of not eating breakfast, and imbalanced diets. The positive impact of restrictive measures for COVID-19: increase in use of freshly prepared meals, the frequency of meals, and limitation of the possibility to eat in fast food restaurants. The negative effect of self-isolation: frequent infringement of the diet, increased daily amount of fast food consumed, decrease in physical activity, increase in body weight.

Analysis of Eco-Conscious Food Behavior as a Factor of Ecological Sustainability Formation

Purpose. Analysis of research on the search for measures and criteria for a positive personal impact on the environment through the conscious consumption of food in order to achieve environmental sustainability. Methods. The methodological basis of the work is system analysis. Results. It was substantiate a personal positive impact on the environment through a conscious choice of food products in their diet. The possibility of combining two concepts has been proven: environmental friendliness and healthy conscious nutrition. The importance and necessity of developing measures aimed at increasing the sustainable healthy eating behavior of consumers by influencing their beliefs and expanding the concepts of "health" and "environment" was emphasized. The relationship between them is revealed. Today, it is difficult to internalize all the disparate approaches, and a more concerted effort is needed for interdisciplinary research. Conclusions. A theoretical basis for future research in the field of sustainable conscious nutrition in Ukraine has been created and attention is paid to the factors influencing consumers to choose sustainable food consumption included in a set of measures to solve environmental problems. A new approach to empirical discussion of situational and market factors will provide much needed impetus to research in these areas.

Are Nutritional Patterns among Polish Hashimoto Thyroiditis Patients Differentiated Internally and Related to Ailments and Other Diseases?

There is not any diet recommended for Hashimoto’s disease, despite that those patients are often undernourished. Because of the high heterogeneity of Hashimoto’s patients, insight into dietary patterns might shed some light on the patient-tailored dietary approach, thus improving their treatment and helping to identify patients with the highest probability of particular nutritional deficiencies. The aim of this study was to identify Hashimoto’s patients’ dietary patterns and their characterization based on both socio-demographic variables and dietary self-assessment. We collected data online from patients with Hashimoto’s disease. The questionnaire formula used in the study was developed based on a validated food frequency questionnaire KomPAN®. K-means pattern analyses were used to characterize patients into patterns based on the frequency of particular types of foods consumption and socio-demographic factors. Four patterns were identified. We labeled them as ‘Convenient’, ‘Non-meat’, ‘Pro-healthy’, and ‘Carnivores’ with participants proportions at approximately one-fourth per each pattern. The patients were mainly of the female gender (94.08%), with a female: male ratio of 15.9. Hashimoto’s patients differed in their food product choices, food choice motives, dieting experience, nutritional knowledge, smoking habits, food allergies and intolerances, and lipid disorders, and thus represent different eating patterns. However, these patterns were not determined by comorbidities or the majority of ailments.

Red, yellow, or green? Do consumers’ choices of food products depend on the label design?

Abstract Using a stated preference survey, we investigate to what extent consumers are willing to make costlier food consumption choices to decrease damages to health, the environment, and animal well-being. In particular, we investigate how the graphic design of the labels affects choice behaviour by comparing traffic–light and greyscale labels and plain-text description with each other. We found that the red colour in traffic lights seems to strengthen respondents’ preferences for avoiding the worst level of a collective attribute such as climate impact or antibiotics use, while the green colour strengthened preferences for the more private attribute, namely healthiness. On average, the price premiums for a green label compared with a red label is 52 per cent for healthiness, 64 per cent for both animal welfare and antibiotics, and 20 per cent for climate impact.

Nutrition and Health Claims Spectra of Pre-Packaged Foods on Serbian Supermarket Shelves: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study.

Nutrition and health claims (NHCs) are a powerful tool that influence consumers’ final decision on the choice of food products. The purposes of this repeated cross-sectional study were to (i) assess the prevalence of pre-packaged food products containing nutrition and health claims among different food categories, (ii) to determine the type of NHCs labelled on the examined food products, and (iii) to evaluate the trend in the use of NHCs in comparison to the 2012 survey. The survey was conducted immediately before the full enforcement of the new national legislation on NHCs in 2020. It comprised 3141 pre-packaged food products from 10 product categories. In total, 21.2% of food products contained any claim (19.4% contained any nutrition claim; 8.2% contained any health claim). In comparison to the 2012 survey, we observed a rising trend in the presence of NHCs; the use of nutrition claims on food products increased three times and the use of health claims increased 1.3 times in the 2020 survey. Bearing in mind that NHCs are a powerful tool guiding consumers’ food purchase decisions, NHCs should be supported by precise legislation and strict surveillance by the public health authorities.

Import substitution: problems of understanding policy and its objectives

The policy of import substitution intensified in Russia in the second half of 2014 against the background of sanctions by the United States, the European Union and some other countries, as well as the introduction of counter-sanctions in the country. However, over the past period, no strong positive results of this policy have been noted in agriculture, with the exception of a narrow group of goods. An obvious negative consequence was the increase in prices on the consumer market and the restriction of the choice of food products. The share of machinery and equipment in imports has not decreased and the share of these goods in Russian exports has not increased. The article briefly describes the history of the formation of the import substitution policy in the World, its positive and negative sides. Taking into account the historical experience of the use of import substitution in the world, the author tries to identify the reasons for the lack of results of this policy in Russia. One of these reasons, according to the author, is excessive politicization, as well as bureaucratization in the implementation of the import substitution policy to the detriment of the economic content of this policy, which is confirmed by the lack of necessary calculations and a period of time for the implementation of the import substitution policy. Based on personal experience, the author also points out the negative effects of the import substitution policy that are manifested outside the economy and business, in particular, in the fi eld of higher education, which is often manifested in the distorted initial view of many students about the essence and goals of the import substitution policy. The author comes to the conclusion that only when understanding import substitution as an economic policy one can expect that this policy will benefit the Russian economy.

Choice Drivers for Quality-Labelled Food: A Cross-Cultural Comparison on PDO Cheese.

This study aims at examining the consumers’ preferences and drivers affecting the choice of quality-labelled food products, i.e., protected designation of origin (PDO) labelled cheese. We applied the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to analyse the purchase of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO and Comté PDO hard cheeses in Italy and France, respectively. A cross-sectional sample of 808 consumers (400 French and 408 Italian) completed a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) indicated perceived behavioural control (PBC) and attitude to be significant predictors of intention to purchase PDO-labelled cheese in France and Italy. Subjective and moral norms affected intention in France. Intention significantly influenced the hard cheese purchase behaviour. The results confirm that the TPB model predicted the self-reported measure of behaviour more than the observed one, measured with a discrete choice experiment, in both countries. The TPB interrelationships varied between countries, suggesting that food systems operators and public authorities should carefully target their intervention to stimulate the demand of PDO-labelled products.

“Not tested on animals”: how consumers react to cruelty-free cosmetics proposed by manufacturers and retailers?

PurposeAnimal welfare is increasingly favoured by consumers in their choice of food and cosmetic products, proposed by manufacturers and retailers. This study aims to investigate the impact of the “not tested on animals” claim on consumers' attitude and behavioural intention towards a cosmetic product through an enriched version of Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour.Design/methodology/approachA between-subjects design has been used. 450 participants were recruited through the social network of a cosmetics and personal hygiene brand in Quebec, Canada, and answered a questionnaire. They were randomly assigned to either a manipulation group (n = 226) or a control group (n = 224). Data were analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling.FindingsThis study shows that external (credibility and attitude towards marketing claims) and internal psychological variables (subjective norms and altruistic concerns with animal welfare) influence attitude towards and purchase intention of “not tested on animals” personal care products. More egotistic concerns, such as personal appearance, also explain the formation of attitude towards cruelty-free cosmetics.Research limitations/implicationsThis research supplements Ajzen's original model with internal psychological (individuals' concerns with animal welfare and personal appearance) and external (general credibility of cosmetic products claims, credibility of the “not tested on animals” claim and attitude towards this claim) variables. These variables, as suggested by previous research on cosmetics and their claims, improve the understanding of consumer attitude and purchase behaviour patterns.Practical implicationsThe study's findings point out the role of companies to increase consumers' knowledge on the significance and transparency of their messages, notably the “not tested on animals” claim. They also stress that policymakers in regions where regulation is unclear should at least punish untruthful communication pertaining to animal testing in cosmetic and personal care products.Originality/valuePrior studies on cosmetic products did not investigate the difference of consumer attitude formation towards cruelty-free products compared to conventional cosmetic products. Consequently, this research shows that the construction of attitude towards cruelty-free products highly differs from conventional personal care.

Notice signs in food labeling

The article discusses notice signs as a new type of information signs, which include the "Traffic Light" labeling. The necessity of using these signs on the labeling is shown. It has been established that the widespread introduction of the "Traffic Light" notice sign into the production labeling will improve the information support of food buyers and increase their ability to make a competent choice of food products that provide healthy nutrition. As a result, consumers will be able to purchase groceries in stores that will improve the structure of the daily diet, taking into account the principles of healthy eating.

Differences in preferred fat level, sweetener type, and amount of added sugar in chocolate milk in a choice task relate to physical activity and orthorexia

Fluid dairy milk consumption has decreased over the last 4 decades, and this drop has accelerated with the introduction of many competing beverage alternatives, such as plant-based milks and bottled water. Conversely, flavored milk sales remain strong, but many adults avoid flavored milk because of concerns about added sugar and calories and/or excessive sweetness. Here we used two discrete choice experiments to assess interest for a dark chocolate milk drink in adults, and explored whether there might be a consumer segment who prefers a more bitter, lower sugar chocolate milk. Adults were recruited from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States for two conjoint analysis studies. In a general population cohort (n = 735), type of sweetener was the most important attribute (24%), followed by milk fat (19%), grams of added sugar (16%), front of pack messaging (15%), package type (12%), carton size (8%), and protein content (6%). Attribute importance was relatively consistent in a second study with a younger, more physically active cohort (n = 1017). Product choices in the active cohort were related to orthorexia and physically activity scores, indicating revealed preferences in a choice task are reflective of personal lifestyle and eating behavior. In both cohorts, three consistent consumer segments were identified and characterized: the calorie conscious, the average consumer, and the natural eaters. These data can help uncover lifestyle differences between adult consumers that impact their food product choices.

Importance of Regional and Traditional EU Quality Schemes in Young Consumer Food Purchasing Decisions

Purpose: The general objective of this paper was to evaluate the significance of EU designations such as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) in the food purchasing decisions made by consumers. Specific objectives include: determining familiarity with products bearing EU designations, identifying factors affecting the purchase, determining the type of most frequently purchased products and identifying their purchase locations. Design/Methodology/Approach: The evaluation was carried out using PAPI and CAWI surveys (survey questionnaire) . The surveys were carried out in 2016 among 1.364 students from four countries: Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Ukraine. Findings: The results of the surveys point to a relatively small significance of EU designations in the purchasing decisions made by young consumers of food products. The surveys made it possible to identify the most important determinants of the choice of food products, including: product price, freshness and best before date. Analysing the behaviours of buyers from respective countries it can be observed that the evaluations of the significance of factors determining the choice of a product are not much different, which can be explained by progressing globalization and unification of consumer behaviours. In addition, it can be noted that the surveyed buyers are not very fluent in differentiating between respective types of designations such as PDO, PGI and TSG. Practical Implications: The survey made it possible to evaluate the behaviour of young consumers on the food market to the extent of the choice of products with EU designations and to formulate recommendations for producers and sellers as well as identify the directions of further research. Originality/Value: The added value of this paper is cross-sectional analysis of multiple factors shaping decisions on the choice of EU-certified food products by young consumers using the example of selected EU member states in comparison to a non-EU country – Ukraine.

Effects of nutrition and sustainability claims on attention and choice: An eye-tracking study in the context of a choice experiment using granola bar concepts

This research utilizes eye-tracking measures to quantify the visual attention paid to claims for nutrition and sustainability on food concepts. It analyzes whether and to what extent the attention to voluntary nutrition and sustainability claims affects choices. A choice experiment was designed using granola bar concepts where each alternative was described by four attributes for claims related to sustainability, genetic modification, sweetener content, antioxidant content, and price. During the choice experiment, the visit duration was measured using an eye-tracking device as proxy for visual attention. Findings show that sweetener content and genetic modification claims were attended to the most, followed by sustainability claims, antioxidant content claims and price. Results indicate that visual attention to nutrition and sustainability claims affects product choice. More visual attention is associated with a higher choice likelihood. Insights from this study can inform future research on attention and choice in particular with regards to healthy and sustainable food choices. Managerial findings related to the claims tested can be used by practitioners to efficiently and effectively promote the choice of healthy and sustainable food products.

Study of the main factors influencing consumers' choice of innovative food products

Study of the main factors influencing consumers' choice of innovative food products

Changes in food choice following restrictive measures due to Covid-19

Background and aimsFollowing the Covid-19 proliferation beyond the borders of China at the beginning of 2020, containment measures have been taken by different countries around the globe. Citizens were forced to stay at home. The aim of this study is twofold. First, we will provide an analysis of food consumption in Italy during the emergency from a social stance. Secondly, we will consider the risks in relation to health of these food product choices. Methods and resultThis analysis is based on IRi's data on consumption trends (percentage increase in sales in value) during the first period of the spread of coronavirus, from 23rd of February through the 29th of March, 2020. The sample includes 10 769 stores. There was an increase in the consumption of pasta, flour, eggs, long-life milk and frozen foods, in comparison to a reduction of fresh food goods. The sales of snacks have dropped in relation to the production of homemade bread, pizza and cakes. ConclusionThe increase in the consumption of some types of food is linked with their symbolic value and its tendency to carry on at home some external socialization habits. But be careful: these habits are not always healthy.

Forgotten effects analysis of the consumer behavior of sustainable food products in Mexico

The world’s population has increased exponentially in recent decades, and the rising demand for resources presents crucial challenges that need to be addressed to ensure humanity’s current pace of development without compromising the means of future generations. The purpose of the present study is to quantify the first- and second-order cause-effect degree of incidence that drives consumer behavior when selecting a sustainable product based on the opinions of academic experts in the field. The forgotten effects theory is employed for the treatment of information. The main advantage of this methodology is the combination of expert opinions with a robust mathematical procedure that allows obtaining not only the direct but also the indirect or hidden degree of incidence. The selected experts are academic leaders in the field of sustainability in Mexico. The results show a high direct incidence of variables such as education, income and culture and a strong indirect incidence of sustainable knowledge, environmental awareness and recommendations. The present study attempts to shed light on quantifying the direct and indirect elements that encourage consumers’ choice of sustainable food products and to understand the in-depth reasons for the discrepancy between the will and actions of consumers.