Food Choices Made by Consumers - Assignment Example

Name Tutor’s Name Course Date Literature Review on Food Choices Made by Consumers Introduction The food choices that consumers make are influenced by different factors. As it is with consumer behaviour, a buyer’s food choices may be affected by among other things, the price of the food item, the packaging or branding of the same, its availability in local retail outlets, and the perceived value or health benefits. As will be seen in this paper, psychological, political and cultural perspectives also affect the food choices that consumers make. However, while the psychological perspective of consumer food purchase behaviour has received much attention in literature, there are still gaps in knowledge regarding some aspects of the political and cultural perspective. This paper concludes by proposing a study that will determine how a specific cultural perspective affects consumer food choices. Review of the Literature Human food choice is understandably a complex process that takes in to account many factors. According to Shepherd, Sparks and Guthrie, not much research has been done in consumer food choices (360). The three authors however argue that just like other complex human behaviour, food choosing behaviour in humans is influenced by a range of factors. Such factors include the consumers’ perceptions about a particular food item, its nutritional quality and the health benefits of the food item (Shepherd et al. 360). It is worth noting that the actual health benefits and nutritional quality in a particular food item may be completely different from the perceptions of the same in the consumer’s mind. However, the consumer will go ahead and purchase the item based on perceptions only. It is because of the foregoing reasons that Shepherd et al. note that food choices are to a great extent, determined by the attitudes and beliefs that an individual consumer has (360). Such an opinion is also held by Robert et al., who indicate that given a choice between branded and unbranded products stocked by a store, consumers believed that the branded products had better qualities. The authors specifically found out that if a food product’s appearance is poor (either due to lack of proper packaging or due to poor positioning), consumers perceive its quality as poor (325). On their part, Paasovaara et al. found out that “incongruity between consumer values and brand symbolism can affect the food taste perception” (11). The authors therefore argue that food manufacturers need to recognise the need to consider consumer values when developing brand symbols in order to attain congruency between the two (i.e. brand symbols and consumer values) (Paasovaara et al. 11). It has been argued that incongruence between brand symbols and customers’ values fails to arouse the sensory qualities that would be expected to deliver functional and emotional urges that would help the consumer choose and buy a specific food product. An example of how brand symbols can affect consumer food choices is offered by Pink, who notes that Coca-Cola has always been perceived by many Muslims as anti-Islam (108). Much of the alleged anti-Islam sentiments are derived from the Coca-Cola symbol, which when viewed as shown in figure 1 below, is alleged to contain anti-Islamic sentiments. Notably, although the allegations against Coca-Cola are just that – allegations, most Islamic countries have launched brands that counter Coca-Cola. Such include Mecca Cola and Cola Turka among others. The result is that Coca-Cola’s market in the Middle East has drastically dwindled. Figure 1: On the left is the reflection of the Coca-Cola symbol, which allegedly has anti-Islamic sentiments Source: Greenspan (n.pag.) Notably, consumers are bombarded with too many food varieties and choices. This makes it hard for them to choose which among the many available alternatives is healthy. According to Cavanagh and Forestell, when consumers are faced with an information overload, they will most likely rely on simple heuristics to help them make purchase and consumption decisions (505). Schulte-Mecklenbeck et al. indicate that simple heuristics limit the search for information about food choices to narrow alternatives (243). For example, a consumer may choose to make food choices based on the price or the attractiveness of the label. The consumer may therefore assume that the higher the price of a food item, the more nutritional value it has. Shepherd and Raats define choice heuristics as “simplifying rules consumers employ to make choices in situations which are low involvement and/or time pressured” (172). According to Schulte-Mecklenbeck et al., the foregoing assumption is not always correct (244). In figure 2 below for example, the dish on the left (Duck Breast) costs more compared to the one on the right. However, it has more caloric content, higher cholesterol, higher carbohydrates and higher fat content. Interpreted, such indicators could mean that of the two plates, the one of the left is a less-healthy alternative. If a consumer chose the Veal Meatball option (see figure 2 below) based on its visual appeal, they would be making a healthier choice (albeit without their direct knowledge) based on simple heuristics alone. Figure 2: A sample of two food choices available to consumers in a restaurant. Source: Mecklenbeck et al. (244) Simple heuristics were also found to play a major role in impulse buying of snacks by young people. In a study conducted by Duarte, Raposo and Ferraz, it was revealed that impulse buyers not only buy for economic reasons (i.e. affordability of an item), but also for emotional and social satisfaction, and the belief that purchasing and consuming a specific food item will satisfy their needs for fun and fantasy (1234). A different study by Liao et al. however found out that young shoppers are more likely to make impulse food choices compared to the older people, who according to the authors, seem to have developed loyalty and preferences for specific products (274). From a psychological perspective, Shepherd and Raats note that in addition to simple heuristics, a consumer’s personality interacts with the shopping environment and leads to a primary emotional response, which can be dominance, arousal or pleasure. The emotional response then gives way to a behavioural response, where the consumer chooses to either buy a food item or avoid it altogether (173). Impulse buying is an ideal example of what happens when a consumer is exposed to stimuli. According to Sengupta and Zhou (300), a flexible person who is open to adventure will most likely make more impulse food choices when compared to a person whose habits are informed by detailed analysis of situations and events. Wales has introduced a new concept in an attempt to explain how consumers make food choices (n.pag). The author indicates that convenience plays a major role in the determination that a consumer makes to pick a particular food item while leaving out another. Convenience determines whether a person chooses to cook or order ready meals, to shop online or shop in brick-and-mortar stores, and whether to choose fast-cooking foods as opposed to those that take more time preparing or cooking (Wales n.pag.). Notably, there are different dimensions that Wales (n.pag.) has identified as having an effect on perceived convenience. One such factor is the time and effort needed to make the food choice, prepare and cook the food. Additionally, consumers consider how convenient eating specific food will be for a particular occasion. For example, spaghetti is an unlikely convenient food to eat in the car when travelling with one’s family. Instead of cooking spaghetti therefore, one would most probably choose light snacks such as hamburgers or pizza. The different stages of food preparation and consumption have also been found to affect consumer choices (Candel 15). In most modern households, meals are planned (Candel 15). This means that whatever choices are made by the consumer have to fit within the input needed for a specific meal. In some cases, Wales (n.pag.) observes that the consumer can make food purchase beyond what is needed for a planned meal, especially if the product that has been chosen can be used in the place of another ingredient or has good storage value, hence meaning that the consumer can store it for future use. Convenience-orientation has been shown to change from one culture to another since according to Olsen et al., attitudes about the convenience of food preparation and even food consumption differ across cultures (85). In some European countries which Olsen et al. featured in their research, consumers often always made similar choices when purchasing fish (85). In other countries however, the choices of fish made by consumers were more diverse, with consumers picking different fish species. Olsen et al. therefore suggest that where homogenous choices were made, there was a cultural motivation why a significant number of consumers chose to purchase a particular pig species (86). From the literature reviewed so far, it is evident that many authors have concentrated on the psychological aspects that inform consumer decision making when making food choices. Cultural aspects of consumer food choices have been addressed in small amounts in literature by the likes of Olsen et al. (86) and Wales (n.pag.). The political aspect has also been covered by de Rezende, who has noted that consumers can make the choice to purchase or to refrain from buying a specific food item depending on the political statement they wish to communicate (n.pag). The fair trade symbol is for example used to indicate that specific food products such as cocoa have not been produced under conditions that undermine children or labourers. Cocoa brands with the fair trade label may therefore have more buyers compared to brands that do not. The political aspect of food choices is arguably wide, and it has not been fully discussed in literature. In the wake of free trade, it is possible that consumers are exposed to imported food products that they have no idea where they were produced and the conditions of manufacturing them. Politics (and especially diplomatic arrangements that enable imports of food items) can therefore be said to indirectly affect the food choices that consumers make. Critical Analysis The psychological aspect of consumer research seems to have received more weight in literature. Theories such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour have been used by different authors to explain why different consumers make different food choices. However, no one author has a comprehensive explanation of why consumers make the choices they make. This could be interpreted to mean that indeed, understanding consumer choices is a complex process that has no definite answers since consumers are not a homogenous group. On the politics perspective, not much has been discussed about cheap food imports and the balance that consumers have to make in order to uphold sustainability preferences while making price-inspired purchase decisions. Political/systemic perspectives have also been fairly well featured in different works in literature. The political perspective of consumer research in food choices seems to be a fairly recent phenomenon especially as the politics of sustainability, free trade, climate change and population growth have gathered pace. As Herring notes, there is a need to balance the interests of free trade with those of feeding bulging populations (especially in developing countries) and the need for sustainable food production practices (649). Herring’s argument is supported by Kirveennummi, Makela and Saarimaa, who argue that consumers can beat unsustainable food production practices by the food choices they make (86). The three authors for instance suggest that choosing organic foods is one way of ensuring that food producers who use inorganic methods of farming have no market to which to sell their produce. Eventually, therefore, Kirveennummi et al. suggest that such producers would have no other choice but to embrace the more sustainable method of organic farming (85). The fact that cheap food imports undermine domestic producers all over the world is no secret. Since consumer demand informs the high number of such imports, it is evident that there are consumers who appreciate that they are able to get affordable food from retail outlets. Not much information has been provided in literature to determine whether consumers who purchase cheap imported products make any considerations relating to the production of the food items they buy. When purchasing noodles from China for example, do consumers ever pause to consider whether or not child labour was used in the wheat fields in China or in the manufacturing industries? Do they even realise the amount of fuel that was spent on the logistics needed to deliver noodles from China to domestic retail outlets and the environmental impact that such deliveries have? Do the consumers ever pause to consider whether sustainable practices were used in the manufacturing factories, e.g. by the use of fuel-efficient machines? Probably not. The possible reasons for research documenting such details is perhaps informed by the complexity involved in conducting research that would provide the needful answers. A consumer who is price hunting probably does not have the luxury of purchasing other costlier food alternatives which have been produced using sustainable practices. However, the foregoing argument is just an assumption that this paper makes, and which may benefit from future research. The cultural perspective of consumer food choosing behaviour has also been discussed although not in much detail. In the literature review section for example, culture is indicated as a factor that affects a consumer’s perception of convenience. However, there are other articles (e.g. Nordstrom et al. 357-363), which are not featured in the literature review section, which have linked cultural cuisines to improved health. Whether people take such findings seriously enough to affect their food choices is an area that still needs further research. It is possible that not much research has been done due to the complexity of determining what can be termed as traditional foods. Arrow roots can for example be termed as a traditional food in some cultures, but this too can be transformed into a contemporary food item through different cooking methods. Proposal for Study From the different literature sources reviewed in this paper, it is evident that although individuals choose different food options for different reasons including prices and visual appeal, they have an underlying need to make healthy food choices. Notably, and has been noted in the section above, cultural foods and cuisine have occasionally been linked to good health (that is if the results by Nordstrom et al. (357-363) are anything to go by). As has been noted however, there appears to be a gap in information regarding how much knowledge consumers have regarding cultural food items and whether or not such information (if at all it is known) can affect their food choices. Based on the assumption that consumers are inspired to make healthy food choices, and also based on the assumption that cultural food items are indeed healthy when compared to other contemporary food items which have been highly processed, this paper proposes to conduct a study on whether consumers’ food choices would be affected if more cultural products (e.g. whole grains, nuts, and other plant-based foods) were placed in their retail outlets. To make the research possible, well-researched information regarding the healthy nature of cultural foods or cuisines would be printed and handed to consumers in specific retail stores. Sampled consumers would then be interviewed after one month with a view of finding out if the information in the leaflet changed their food choice behaviours. The study would also seek to find out if the consumers’ choice of food would reflect the new knowledge in coming days. The study would also seek to find out if consumers perceive the traditional foods or cuisine as healthy. Arguably, the proposed study would enhance the understanding that people have regarding cultural foods and their alleged health benefits as well as the willingness of consumers to choose cultural food items over the contemporary alternative that they are used to. Another possible concept that would emerge from the study relates to the availability of such cultural foods and whether the producers of such products are capable of handling huge demands for the same from the public. It would also be important to note whether the pricing of such products would be affordable to the average consumer, especially considering that retailers would consider such food items as rare, hence increasing the possibility that they would retail at a higher price. This argument is informed by the knowledge that such products might not be in high supply in the market and that raising the demand for the same might lead to an increase in their prices. The proposed study will be quantitative in nature and will target getting responses from about 200 shoppers in five food retail outlets. The analysis will be conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and the final results will be complied into a report. Works Cited Candel, Math. “Consumers’ Convenience Orientation towards Meal Preparation: Conceptualisation and Measurement.”Appetite 36.1 (2001): 15-28. Cavanagh, Kevin and Catherine Forestell. “The Effects of Brand Names on Flavour Perception and Consumption in Restrained and Unrestrained Eaters.” Food Quality and Preference, 28.2 (2013): 505-509. De Rezende, Daniel C. “Politics in Food Markets: Alternative Modes of Qualification and Engaging.” Rev. Econ. Sociol. Rural, 52.2 (2014). 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Genes and Nutrition, 8.4 (2013):357-363. Olsen, Svein, Joachim Scholderer, Karen Brunso, and Wim Verbeke. “Exploring the Relationship between Convenience and Fish Consumption: A Cross-Cultural Study.” Appetite, 49.1 (2009): 84-91. Paasovaara, Rami, Harri Luomala, Terhi Pohjanheimo and Mari Sandell. “Understanding Consumers’ Brand-Induced Food Taste Perception: A Comparison of ‘Brand Familiarity’ – and ‘Consumer Value – Brand Symbolism (In)congruity’ - Accounts.” Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 11 (2012): 11-20. Pink, Johanna. Muslim Societies in the Age of Mass Consumption. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009. Print. Robert, Field, Blaise Bergiel J., Martin Giesen J., Courtney Fields L. “Effects of Branding on Taste Perceptions.” Competition Forum. 7.2 (2009): 325-340. Print. Schulte-Mecklenbeck, Michael, Matthias Sohn, Emanuel de Bellis, Nathalie Martin and Ralph Hertwig. “A Lack of Appetite for Information and Computation. Simple Heuristics in Food Choice.” Apetite 71(2013): 242-251. Sengupta, Jaideep and Rongrong Zhou. “Understanding impulsive eaters’ choice behaviours: the motivational influences of regulatory focus.”Journal of Marketing Research, 44.2 (2007): 297-308. Shepherd, Richard and Monique Raats. The Psychology of Food Choice. London: CABI, 2006. Print. Shepherd, Richard, Peter Sparks, Catherine Guthrie. “The Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Consumer Food Choice. European Advances in Consumer Research, 2 (1995): 360-365. Wales, Mary-Ellen. “Understanding the Role of Convenience in Consumer Food Choices: A Review Article.” SURG Journals, 2.2 (2009). Read More