0000000000113964
AUTHOR
Paula Varela
Why buying functional foods? Understanding spending behaviour through structural equation modelling
Abstract The market for functional foods has been growing steadily in recent years, as it is linked to a healthier diet and adds value to food products. However, more information regarding aspects that influence functional food (FF) spending behaviour is needed to gain a better understanding of what underlies FF choice and avoid product failure. The objective of this study was to build a structural equation model of Spaniards' FF spending behaviour, based on individual characteristics such as satisfaction with life, decision-making styles, gender, age and some attitudes towards food choice. This required prior validation of the functional food questionnaire for a Spanish context, which was …
How personality traits and intrinsic personal characteristics influence the consumer's choice of reduced-calorie food
Abstract Nowadays, the consumption of low-calorie foods is being taken into account as a tool for reducing the incidence of certain nutrition-related health disorders. In this context, several factors were used to model low-fat (LF), low-sugar (LS) and high-calorie (HC) food consumption behavior. These factors were: personality traits (neuroticism and conscientiousness), food choice motives (health and weight control) and intrinsic personal characteristics such as self-esteem and satisfaction with life. The results indicate a good fit for the proposed model. Weight control was the best predictor of consumption of this kind of product, and health was a less strong predictor. In addition, cor…
Food labels: Do consumers perceive what semiotics want to convey?
In this research work, a multidisciplinary approach was applied to answer the question: do consumers perceive what semiotics want to convey? The idea behind was to determine if consumers' expectations and associations raised by simulated yogurt labels, designed with different sign combinations frequently applied in commercial products, were in agreement with results from a semiotic analysis, and to check for cultural differences, comparing results from two Spanish-speaking countries (Spain and Uruguay).A survey of the plain yogurt market was performed, followed by a semiotic analysis of the gathered labels performed by a team of semiotics experts. Only the non-verbal elements such as images…