Consumer awareness and credibility factors of health claims on innovative meat products in a cross-sectional population study in the Netherlands

Designing a Healthy Food-Store Intervention; A Co-Creative Process Between Interventionists and Supermarket Actors

BACKGROUND

Without consideration for the food system in which healthy food-store interventions (HFIs) are implemented, their effects are likely to be unsustainable. Co-creation of HFIs by interventionists and food-store actors may improve contextual fit and therefore the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions, but there are few case studies on the topic. This study aims to provide insights into the integration of knowledge from contextual actors into HFI designs, through a co-creative process, to illustrate potential challenges, advantages, and outcomes.

METHODS

We describe the co-creative design of an HFI in a Dutch supermarket chain, conducted through three increasingly in-depth design phases. Each phase consisted of a cycle of theorizing (gather insights from literature, feedback, and pilot studies), building (develop intervention designs), and evaluating (interviews or workshops with supermarket actors, to explore barriers and facilitators for sustainable implementation), feeding back into the next phase (drafting adapted intervention designs, based on feedback, and research input). Interview transcripts underwent a qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

We co-creatively designed four types of interventions to promote healthier food choices in supermarkets: (1) price strategies, (2) product presentation and positioning, (3) signage, and (4) interactive messaging. Interventions were aligned with the culture, structures and practices of the supermarket chain, while simultaneously challenging these system characteristics. For example, the idea of price promotions on healthy foods was well-received and encountered only practical barriers, which were easily resolved. However, the specification of tax-like price increases on unhealthy foods led to substantial resistance on cultural and commercial grounds, which were resolved through support from a key supermarket actor.

CONCLUSION

Our results illustrate the potential benefits of co-creation approaches in HFI design. We reflect on the value of more easily accepted interventions to develop collaborative momentum and more radical interventions to drive more substantial changes.

Understanding the main factors that influence consumer quality perception and attitude towards meat and processed meat products

Meat and meat products consumer behaviour is becoming less predictable. The objective of this review was to determine the attributes associated with the consumer's perception of quality and identify factors influencing the perception and consequent attitude. In conclusion, the findings showed that factors impacting nutritional quality, chemical and biological hazards, animal welfare, beliefs, and fraud could affect consumers' perception of how safe meat products are. Consumers positively perceive sensory attributes and recognize meat's nutritional value, still concerned with fat. Animal welfare and environmental impact have become significant drivers of consumer perception. The presence of chemical additives is a severe concern. Information received by consumers through media strongly influences perception and behaviour. The negative stigmatization of meat and meat products and beliefs often not scientifically-based shapes consumer perception. Their sensory impact and price frame the acceptance of animal production or processing modifications.

The impact of COVID-19 on consumers' eating and purchasing habits of agricultural products in China: key determinants and policy implications

BACKGROUND

The study looks at a changed in consumer's eating and purchasing habits during COVID-19 period. There are several modes of transmission but transmission through food as being speculated is one area that has not been confirmed through research. The study, therefore, looks at how speculations about COVID-19 spreading through food has affected consumers' eating and purchasing habits. This study through probit model analysed how consumers' eating and purchasing habits have been influenced.

RESULTS

The result shows that age, gender and education have negatively influenced consumer's eating and purchasing habits during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic period. The preference for imported food items, preference for frozen food, been infected or knowing someone who has been infected by the virus, and been infected through agricultural source or knowing someone who has been infected by the COVID-19 through agricultural source have negatively affected consumers' eating and purchasing habits compared to pre-pandemic period. The result, however, suggests that consumers who trust in the cold-chain food systems ability to limit the spread of the COVID-19 still maintain a positive eating and purchasing habits.

CONCLUSIONS

The study provides evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on consumer's eating and purchasing habits. Therefore, there is the need to institute proper sanitary measures, especially at cold-chain food systems to help curb the spread and also boost consumers' confidence.

Consumer's perception and expected liking of labels of burgers with sodium reduction and addition of mushroom flavor enhancer

This study investigated consumers' perception of labels of burgers with sodium reduction and/or addition of mushroom flavor enhancer. Six visual stimuli were created using a factorial design with sodium content (regular, sodium-reduced, and sodium-reduced plus health claim) and flavor enhancer (monosodium glutamate (MSG) and mushroom extract) as factors. Consumers answered an attitudinal questionnaire and evaluated the stimuli through expected liking and check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions. Three consumers' clusters were identified, which associated positive attributes to labels of burgers with mushroom flavor enhancer and negative attributes to labels of MSG-burgers, regardless of sodium content. The main positive drivers of liking were "I would buy", "attractive", "innovative", "tasty", and "contain fewer additives", which were associated with burgers with mushroom flavor enhancer, while "contain additives", "processed", "artificial", "unhealthy", and "not attractive" were the negative drivers of liking that should be modified in a reformulation to increase liking. This study provides valuable information for the development of healthier burgers and their positioning in the market.

The Importance of Country-of-Origin Information on Food Product Packaging

This study aimed to identify selected predictors of country-of-origin (COO) information placed on food packaging. The dependent variable was operationalized in two ways: (1) as a Likert-style question about COO importance in general, and (2) as an indication of COO as the most important food attribute at first purchase, which I called top-of-mind COO importance. The survey was conducted with the use of the internet panel of a research agency in a representative sample of 1051 Polish consumers. In bivariate analyses, I identified the characteristics of consumer segments attaching high importance to each type of COO information. In a multivariate log-normal regression, general COO importance was affected to the largest extent by the product originating from Poland, which confirmed the strong relation between COO importance and consumer ethnocentrism. In multivariate logit regressions, top-of-mind COO importance depended also on the Polish origin of the product to the largest extent. The remaining predictors were sex (men were over 1.5 times more likely to indicate COO as the most important attribute) and age (each year of life contributing to a 2% increase in the likelihood of indicating top-of-mind COO). A theoretical implication is to differentiate between general and top-of-mind COO measures, as different results were obtained depending on whether the COO effect was measured as a response to questions such as “How important is the product COO for you?” or “What is the most important product attribute for you?—COO” Not only were the answer patterns different, but their determinants also varied.

Testing of Standardized Advertising Slogans Within the Marketing Communication of Sustainable and Local Foods in Order to Reveal Consumer Preferences

Marketing communication concerning the consumer in the retail food market is currently undergoing significant changes, based on a shift from the passive supply to manage the consumer, toward an effort to understand his needs. The changes in communication are influenced by the technological revolution, which has also significantly affected retail and consumer shopping behavior, resulting in the modern changes in how to approach customers nowadays. Marketing communication must respond to changes in purchasing behavior with the greatest possible flexibility and ability to follow current trends. The presented research will aim to present the importance of the topic and emphasize its topicality by defining specific forms of communication causing an increase in consumer interest in local and sustainable food. Part of the aim of the presented work will be a general proposal for applying specific forms of marketing communication, increasing the interest of consumers in local foods characterized by the attribute of sustainability. The theoretical basis of the work presents current knowledge focused on marketing communication about sustainability in the food chain and consumers' relationship to local and sustainable food, which builds the communication. The work is based on collecting primary data and their subsequent management by mathematical and statistical methods. Friedman's test as a method used for data processing allows us to reveal differences in consumer preferences between various forms of standardized marketing communication to increase local, sustainable foods to engage the consumer. Independently of the Friedman test, the Chi-square test allows us to find races among the individuals corresponding to the respondents. The research results reveal that the differences between the various forms of standardized marketing communication bring a new perspective on the role of communication with the consumer. The results also reveal the role of a specific label expressing the sustainability of local foods. The benefit of our work is to set recommendations for producers and distributors of local and sustainable foods in the field of marketing communication.

Who Reads Food Labels? Selected Predictors of Consumer Interest in Front-of-Package and Back-of-Package Labels during and after the Purchase

The paper aims to identify selected predictors of food label use to extend our knowledge about consumer behavior related to food purchases. Two types of information were examined: front-of-package (FOP) and back-of-package (BOP), and two contexts of reading labels were distinguished: during shopping and at home. Various types of potential predictors were tested, including demographic (e.g., age, gender, household size, place of living), socioeconomic (e.g., education, professional activity, income), behavioral (e.g., purchasing certain types of products), and psychographic (e.g., importance attached to various types of information) criteria. The survey was conducted with the use of the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviews) methodology in a sample of 1051 Polish consumers. Quota sampling was applied based on sex, age, education, place of living (urban vs. rural), and region. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVAs, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple and retrograde step regressions were applied. In retrograde step regression models, only one predictor (self-rated knowledge about nutrition healthiness) turned out to be significant for all four measures of label reading. The remaining predictors were specific to selected measures of reading labels. The importance of the information about the content of fat and that about the health effects of consuming a food product were significant predictors of three types of food label use. This study confirms the necessity to investigate reading labels in fine-grained models, adapted to different types of labels and different contexts of reading. Our results show that demographic or socioeconomic variables are not significant predictors of reading food labels for a large group of Polish consumers.

The Reformulation of a Beef Patty Enriched with n-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin D3 Influences Consumers' Response under Different Information Scenarios

The objective of this study was to investigate the sensory acceptability and willingness to pay (WTP) for a beef patty elaborated with beef from a local breed that was enriched with nutritional ingredients (vegetable oil mixture and vitamin D₃). The experiment was conducted under two information scenarios (blind; full: ingredients used to enrich the patties in n-3 PUFA and vitamin D₃). An in-home use test was carried out by 180 consumers to study consumer liking of two low-fat beef patties (C: conventional, M: modified). There were no differences in color and odor for the raw patties (p > 0.05). The sensory parameters of the cooked patties were assessed as being similar (p > 0.05) regardless of the information scenario. The sensory parameters remained crucial criteria for product acceptance and repeat purchase. Consumers positively evaluated the M patty. The information provided to consumers on the composition of the product influenced the response of consumers. It was also observed that the higher the education level of the consumer, the higher their scores for M beef patties in the blind scenario. It is thus necessary to implement appropriate marketing strategies in order to highlight the nutritional properties of the modified patties, making them competitive ahead of conventional patties.

Do Consumers Care about Nutrition and Health Claims? Some Evidence from Italy

This study investigates Italian consumer knowledge and use of nutrition and health claims (NHCs). Six specific claims are examined on the basis of a web survey carried out on a sample of 504 consumers. Our results show that there is little attention to NHCs and their use is not widespread; objective knowledge of the selected claims is fairly scant, generating misinterpretation and confusion about their real meaning. K-means cluster analysis allowed us to identify three segments of consumers, characterized by different levels in attention and use frequency of NHCs, with a specific profile in terms of motivation and nutritional knowledge. Our results suggest the advisability of policy interventions and communication efforts which target the three segments with a view to achieving greater attention to NHCs. In conclusion, to boost knowledge concerning the actual meaning of the claims and their relation with a healthy diet, especially to reach non-users, information should be provided both simply and clearly, avoiding the use of complex scientific terminology.

Who Buys Products with Nutrition and Health Claims? A Purchase Simulation with Eye Tracking on the Influence of Consumers' Nutrition Knowledge and Health Motivation

Nutrition and health claims are seen as a way of promoting healthy aspects of food. However, the results of previous studies have been contradictory regarding the effect of these claims on purchase. This study aims to achieve a better understanding of how the consumer characteristics ‘nutrition knowledge’ and ‘health motivation’ influence the purchase of products with nutrition and health claims and what role gaze behavior plays. We included gaze behavior in our analysis, as visual attention on the claims is a precondition to its influence on the purchase decision. In a close-to-realistic shopping situation, consumers could choose from three-dimensional orange juice packages labeled with nutrition, health, and taste claims. In total, the sample consisted of 156 consumers. The data were analyzed with a structural equation model (SEM), linking the purchase decision for products with claims to gaze data recorded with a mobile eye tracker and consumer and product-related variables collected via the questionnaire. Results showed that the variables in the SEM explained 31% (8%) of the variance observed in the purchase of products with a nutrition (health) claim. The longer a consumer looked at a specific claim, the more likely the consumer would purchase the respective product. The lower the price and the higher the perceived healthiness and tastiness of the product further heightened its likelihood of being purchased. Interestingly, consumers with higher nutrition knowledge and/or higher health motivation looked longer at the nutrition and health claims; however, these consumer characteristics did not show an effect on the purchase decision. Implications for policy makers and marketers are given.

The credibility of the effects of functional food products and consumers' willingness to purchase/willingness to pay- review

The credibility aspect of any food product is important in order to find and keep consumers, which is especially true for functional foods. Market success of these products depends mostly on the credibility of their beneficial effects on health. The aim of this literature review was to identify aspects that make the positive health effect of a functional product credible for consumers. Based on the established connection between purchase intention and credibility, articles have been collected, summarized and restructured. Research papers have been analyzed through a two-step selection process. From 1724 studies, 54 were selected to discuss the above mentioned topics. It has been found that most of the studies focus on the credibility of health claims, while those exploring the connection between different kinds of product attributes and the credibility aspect of functional food products are rare. It is believed that other features can significantly affect this aspect and it is strategically important to know these factors influencing credibility. The literature analysis showed that willingness to purchase functional products is influenced by sensory and non-sensory-characteristics of the product, while willingness to pay is affected for example by consumers' trust in functional foods. On the issue of what influences the credibility of the health benefits of functional products, ambiguous information was found. While one of the most important factors influencing acceptance of functional foods is credibility of information, other researchers' results show no direct significant relationship between credibility of health claims and willingness to purchase. Credibility of health effect is also influenced by the base product and the carrier ingredient, the source of information, the product design and cultural roots of a country.

Are consumers willing to pay more for reformulated processed meat products in the context of the implementation of nutritional warnings? Case study with frankfurters in Chile

The aim of the present work was to assess consumers' willingness to pay for reformulated frankfurters in the context of the implementation of nutritional warnings. Images of frankfurter packages were designed using a fractional factorial design with 5 2-level variables: brand type, sodium reduction, saturated fat reduction, fibre claim and cholesterol claim. An online study with 548 consumers was implemented with Chilean participants, who were asked to indicate how much they would be willing to pay for each of the packages. Data were analysed using analysis of variance and hierarchical cluster analysis. Willingness to pay was significantly affected by brand type and sodium and fat reduction, whereas fibre and cholesterol claim did not have a significant effect. These results suggest that in the context of the implementation of nutritional warnings reformulation of processed meat products should focus on the reduction of key nutrients, although consumers may not be willing to pay a higher price for reformulated products.

Consumer and product-specific characteristics influencing the effect of nutrition, health and risk reduction claims on preferences and purchase behavior - A systematic review

The research on nutrition, health, and risk reduction claims (NHR claims) shows a lack of consensus as to whether these claims have a positive or negative effect on consumer's preferences and purchase behavior. This issue has been highlighted by many authors. Therefore, a comprehensive literature review was performed to find reasons for contradictory results. First, a theoretical framework was developed which divided the determinants of the effects of NHR claims on consumers' preferences and purchase behavior into consumer and product-specific characteristics. Additionally, a categorization for the different NHR claim types was constructed to make the studies comparable. Afterwards, the scientific literature from the 1980s until May 2017 was scanned and 66 articles were found to be relevant. Consumer-specific characteristics such as nutrition knowledge, health motivation, familiarity, and socio-demographic characteristics were found to influence the NHR claim effect. Important product-specific characteristics were the perceived healthiness of the food product, the interaction between the product and the nutrient in the NHR claim, and the interaction between the claimed benefit and the NHR claim type. The consumer's nutrition knowledge and the product's perceived healthiness were deemed to be the most promising determinants for further investigation.

Consumer sensory and hedonic perception of sheep meat coppa under blind and informed conditions

The development of air-dried cured sheep meat products represents an interesting option to add value to the meat of adult animals. In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate consumer sensory and hedonic perception of sheep meat coppa, an innovative product. Four sheep meat coppa samples were formulated by varying smoking (smoked vs. non-smoked) and salt content (4.5% vs. 3.4%), and compared with two commercial samples of regular pork meat coppa. Samples were evaluated under blind or informed conditions by 202 consumers, who had to rate their liking and to answer a check-all-that-apply question. Sheep and pork meat coppa samples did not largely differ in their overall liking in both experimental conditions. Smoking and high salt content significantly increased consumers' hedonic perception of sheep meat coppa. The information included in the labels did not modify consumer hedonic perception but influenced their sensory description, particularly for the terms related to the type of meat used in their manufacture. Results indicate positive market opportunities for sheep meat coppa in the Brazilian market.