- MASTER OF ARTS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS -
- LITERATURE REVIEW-
Attitudes and motivations that influence the selection of organic food among consumers
Adeline Marié Supervisor : M. Bloom
ETU 20030459 SUMMARY
General Background 4
1 Market development and cultural factors. 5
1.1 Culture influences the food choice. 5
1.2 The level of development of the country market influences organic food choice 6
1.2.1 A cross- national study of Danish and New-Zealand organic consumers. 6
1.2.2 The moderators of consumption depend on the market development 7
2 The attitudes that influence consumer 9
2.1 Attitudes and the Theory of Planned Behaviour 9
2.1.1 Attitudes 9
2.1.2 The Theory of Planned Behaviour and
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In a first part, we will try to understand the impact on culture on consumption and then the need to look at each country particularly. Then we will discuss the main factors that influence the consumers that is to say: attitudes, values and motivations (combined with socio-demographic factors). Eventually, we will present and analyse the research we decided to base our study on in order to develop the constructs and the propositions of the conceptual framework.
1 Market development and cultural factors.
1.1 Culture influences the food choice.
The most primary factor that gives a direction to an individual is certainly is culture or region of origin. Solomon (1991, chap 15) defines it as "a society 's personality". It 's the sharing among a population of traditions, norms, beliefs and attitudes in one country or in one specific region.
Culture is the first socio-demographic factor that would affect the decision to purchase. Socio-demographic factors (Mac Carthy and Perreault, 1990, p79-81) are the dimensions that affect the consumer act of purchase in a specific consumption context. The typical ways to segment and define consumers are presented in the exhibit 1: the socio-demographic factors.
Regarding this postulate, we can assume that the behaviour will be different from a country to another. For instance, Aarset et. Al (2004) highlighted that from a country to another, organic products are not seen to be
Every year, the average person in America consumes nearly a ton of food, and the majority of this consists of packaged and highly processed products. These foods also contain a substantial amount of unwanted fats and chemicals. The growing of organic versus nonorganic food has been a controversial issue for a long time among organic and nonorganic farmers and their customers. This is due to the myriad definitions of healthy eating and the stated benefits on both sides.
Organic foods are no longer only found in health food stores; they have become a mainstay in our supermarkets. Today’s consumers are faced with the decision of whether or not it is worth the cost to buy organic. To determine the answer to this question one will need to determine if it has been scientifically determined that consumption organic food products are more beneficial to one’s health.
Sociocultural factors influence and restrict consumption ideas, needs, desires and purchase behavior. People from different countries and different regions have different life patterns and different sociocultures. These differences directly influence the products that industries want to produce because people may even have different attitudes and value toward the same product due to different sociocultural factors. With the rapid development of modern society and the continuous improvement of living standards, the degree of attention paid to health has increased. “Franchise businesses continue to pay close attention to their customers' need for convenience, new flavors and, yes,
The food industry allows consumers to choose from a wide variety of products. However, most food corporations fail to tell the story behind their food. Is this secrecy due to their methods in creating their products? Conventional farming is America’s leading source of food production. Yet, the controversial practices used in conventional farming, may lead American’s to question if this is the only farming source that can feed our nation. Since 1972, organic farming has been creeping up the success ladder and demonstrating the methods involved can withstand the food demands of our nation. With the rising popularity of organic farming, U.S. citizens now have the option to purchase wholesome food. Consumers curious about purchasing organic goods should be aware of the notable differences between organic and conventional practices. The significant differences between organic and conventional farming include; animal welfare, health, and environmental. With the given information, consumers will be able to make informed decisions about their food purchases.
In 2008, U.S. sales of organic food and nonfood products reached $24.6 billion dollars which was 17.1 percent above the 2007 sales (Musico). Obviously, people are buying organic food for many reasons such as its advantageous economical impact, its positive, eco-friendly contributions to the environment, and its health and nutritional benefits.
According to Slater (1997:26), ‘consumer culture is, in principle, universal and impersonal’. The notion behind this is
As part of their means of segmenting consumers, marketers and the media have usually demonstrated some bias for the individuals' life stage and demographics. The main reason for the use of these factors to segment consumers is because the economic, cultural, and age-specific characteristics have a significant influence on the consumer's behaviors and their purchase decisions. However, life stage does not necessarily cover for the entire reason that influences a person's behavior and purchase decisions. This is mainly because the way with which an individual lives his/her life is also a major contributing factor to their purchase decision and behaviors.
The data suggested in the cultural analysis includes information that helps the marketer make market-planning decisions. However, its application extends beyond product and market analysis to being an important source of
A few years back, between 2004 and 2005, South Africa experienced an epitome in the market for organic foods. One of the main factors that influenced this was the awareness of the consumer about health and as well as the environment. Consumers have been lead to believe that organic foods are more nutritious and safer to eat than conventional foods, and that organic foods are associated with a high socioeconomic status. Conventional foods have been somewhat frowned upon by many as it is farmed using pesticides and insecticides. However, conventional foods may be more economical and accessible to the general public. There are many factors to consider when deciding to purchase either organic or conventional foods. It is subjective and influenced by many elements. This essay
In a September third, 2012 edition of The Stanford Medicine News Center in an article entitled “Little evidence of health benefits from organic foods, study finds” Michelle Brandt argues that certified organic fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and other certified organic food goods, may not be worth the higher prices. Brandt states that certified organic is around 50% more expensive at most retailers. Opposing views of certified organic goods have often claimed that the higher prices are worth the health benefits. Brandt states that there have been multiple studies done on the various types of organic and certified organic goods and that they have been somewhat inconclusive. Despite the fact that they have found a bit higher percentages of vitamins in organic goods, the higher rates are only shown in vitamins that are rare in which to have a dietary deficiency. Brandt also states that the lower rates of pesticides found in organic foods is not worth the cost, due to the fact that the levels found in traditionally grown items were within the limits set by the government as healthy to consume. Lastly Brandt leads the reader to believe that eating healthier foods in general, such as a diet high in fruits and vegetables, is the most important way to be a healthier individual. The higher price of organic goods could lead people away from buying any produce due to believing that they must buy organic goods in order to truly be healthy.
Social-cultural factors outlines the basic beliefs and values of consumers. It is the forces that influences an individual’s way of thinking, lifestyles and behaviors. Marketers must take into consideration the various characteristics of the consumers it is going to sell or target as this is vital in the development of marketing strategies, therefore, making the product or services appealing to customers. One important development is the changing and growth in racial and ethnicity, affecting the changes in culture as new values, ideas and attitudes are learned and shared by different social groups. Sociocultural factors can have an impact on marketing activities which are influenced by the improvements or advances in technology and the ability to instantly transfer ideas via the internet. There are also the advancement of connectivity through social media (i.e., Facebook and Twitter) and telecommunication (i.e., Skype or Viper Chat). In the past, none of these technologies existed, most communications were done via letter writing, telegram and not many had access to computers or the internet. In today’s society, with all these new technologies in our grasps, this gives the consumer the advantage to research about the product or services and comparing prices before buying. It also allows the consumer to buy with safety, security and control in mind. The marketing department of a company need to be aware of the current needs and wants of consumers in order to develop a
Although organic foods are found in nearly every grocery store, the average person is unable to differentiate between organic and non-organic food products. Many consumers purchase organic products in the hopes of gaining positive health benefits. (Chhabra, Kolli, et al “Organically Grown Food Provides”) “The current demand for organic foods outstrips the domestic supply, causing retailers in the United States to import $2 billion worth of organic foods annually.” (Crandall, Seideman, et al. ”Organic poultry: Consumer perceptions”) In this paper, I want to define what it means for food to be organically produced, while also exploring the requirements necessary to deem a product ‘Organic”.
Culture: culture impacts consumers’ behaviour as culture is viewed differently across nations, consumers preferences differs due to values, beliefs and customs. Therefore Lidl’s would have to develop marketing communication strategies that appeals to different cultural background in order to gain acceptance in other countries. The marketing messages should connect with its target market in such a way it influences them to make purchase or to enquire about the product.