Food market segmentation based on consumer preferences using outranking multicriteria approaches

Because consumers can vary greatly in their value composition, they may seek a range of different benefits from products and brands and hence will react differently to marketing communications emphasizing selected brand benefits. The present study adapts a scale for measuring benefits that drive consumer preferences for craft beer. As part of this process, five dimensions of utility are identified, such as functional, value for money, social, positive and negative emotional benefit. In order to support decisions on market segmentation and brand positioning, those dimensions of benefit are profiled against consumer brand preferences, lifestyle segments, demographic and behavioral variables. Based on the results, guidelines for communication strategies are offered that address the benefits sought by specific segments more holistically.

Download Full-text

Is there a promising market ‘in between’ organic and conventional food? Analysis of consumer preferences

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170509990056 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 205-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Meike Janssen ◽

Astrid Heid ◽

Ulrich Hamm

Keyword(s):

Production Systems ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Food Additives ◽

Organic Production ◽

Low Input ◽

High Preference ◽

Organic Products ◽

Food Market ◽

Certified Organic

AbstractVarious products incorporating single aspects of organic production systems such as lower inputs of pesticides, food additives or concentrated animal feed are found on the food market (referred to as low-input products hereafter). In our study, we analyzed how consumers react to low-input products in a purchase simulation with certified organic, conventional and low-input products. In the purchase simulations, each participant was asked to make three consecutive purchase decisions, one each for milk, yogurt and apples. The results of a cluster analysis revealed one cluster with a high preference for organic products and three clusters that featured considerable shares of low-input purchases. The latter clusters, however, were not characterized by a clear preference for low-input products. Rather, they bought mixed baskets of goods, i.e., low-input products in combination with either organic or conventional products. The low-input products in the categories milk, yogurt and apples did thus not necessarily attract the same groups of people. Interestingly, we found that most consumers who chose low-input products in the simulations usually buy those particular products in conventional quality. We conclude that in our study, we found a heterogeneous group of low-input buyers. For the organic sector, communicating the various aspects of organic production might be a promising strategy for gaining new customers. The low-input products in the purchase simulation only featured one special attribute, whereas organic products incorporate several.

Download Full-text

SIX MARKETING TYPOLOGIES IN SEARCH OF A CUSTOMER (WITH APOLOGIES TO LUIGI PIRANDELLO)

Catálogo editorial ◽

10.15765/poli.v1i253.1535 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 77-94

Author(s):

Arthur Asa-Berger

Keyword(s):

Market Segmentation ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

National Sample ◽

Luigi Pirandello ◽

Buyer Behavior ◽

Methodological Issues ◽

Segmentation Methods ◽

Population Sizes ◽

Consumer Lifestyles ◽

Measure Equivalence

Studying consumer lifestyles and ethnocentrism is a unique way of finding out buyer behavior and market segmentation. This chapter discusses two of the most popular marketing typologies, The Values, Attitudes and Lifestyles (VALS) 1 and 2 typology and the Claritas typology. The methodological issues include measure equivalence and sample equivalence of the segmentation (Lim, Yoo, & Park, 2018; Maciejewski, Mokrysz, & Wróblewski, 2019) basis, segmentation methods employed, and whether national sample sizes should be proportional to population sizes (Steenkamp & Ter Hofstede, 2002). It argues that these typologies have certain deficiencies and suggests a different typology, the Grid-Group typology which suggests there are four lifestyles (consumer cultures) that are all in opposition to one another, but which shape consumer preferences for members of each culture.

Download Full-text

Market simulation of traceable food in China based on conjoint-value analysis: a traceable case of pork

International Food and Agribusiness Management Review ◽

10.22434/ifamr2019.0122 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (5) ◽

pp. 735-746

Author(s):

Bo Hou ◽

Linhai Wu ◽

Xiujuan Chen

Keyword(s):

Consumer Demand ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Safety Information ◽

Chinese Consumers ◽

Value Analysis ◽

Traceability System ◽

Market Simulation ◽

First Choice ◽

Food Market ◽

The Government

The food-traceability system is considered to be one of the main measures to fundamentally prevent food-safety problems. It is of great value to study consumer demand for traceable food and market simulations that can adjust the production and supply structure of traceable food and promote traceable market development. Having sampled and interviewed 2,121 consumers in China, consumer preferences for traceable pork with different levels of safety information, and the respective market share of traceable pork with different product profiles were investigated using conjoint value analysis and the randomized first choice method. Results showed that Chinese consumers prioritized the certification of a traceable-pork safety-information attribute. Furthermore, consumers were willing to pay extra costs in order to obtain traceable safety information. However, this additional expenditure should account for no more than 30% of the price of ordinary pork, or consumer demand for safe pork decreases. Results of a market simulation also identified a type of traceable pork that had an optimal combination of attributes and met the needs of Chinese consumers. Consequently, the government should gradually promote a multilevel traceable-food market system in China by developing a combination of a certification mechanism and traceability system, and increasing financial subsidies for the construction of the traceability system.

Download Full-text

To Raise or Not to Raise the Level of Ingredients in Yoghurts: Polish Consumer Preferences Regarding Dairy Products

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11102526 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2526 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marta Sajdakowska ◽

Agnieszka Tekień

Keyword(s):

Dairy Products ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

New Products ◽

Dairy Product ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Product Category ◽

Food Products ◽

Perceived Health ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Food Market

Modern consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the perceived health benefits of food. As a result, they are in search of various types of information, for example, information on the packaging of food products that could confirm to what extent the purchased product will meet their expectations regarding the proper composition, that is, nutritional value, or perceived health values earlier mentioned. Furthermore, consumers increasingly seek new dairy products with additional health benefits and, therefore, it is essential to explore which attributes are important drivers of food choices and how producers can better respond to shifting consumer values and needs in each dairy product category. Therefore, the aims of our research was twofold: (1) To determine different segments of consumers based on their preferences towards food and nutrition, including opinion on new food products with a particular emphasis on a dairy market as well as (2) to study the importance of some statements related to nutrition presented on the yoghurt label with a precise focus on aspects of the increased and decreased content of some ingredients. The data were collected using a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) survey on a sample of 489 adult Polish consumers. Respondents provided answers to questions and took part in a discrete choice-based experiment. The obtained data were analysed using the clustering method. The segmentation was performed using a hierarchical Ward’s method. As a result, four segments were identified: Quality-oriented, Involved, Quality Enthusiasts, and Neutral. The results indicated that in relation to the features that are important in the case of yoghurts, the following were indicated above all: Beneficial effects on health, its sensory values, as well as its availability on the market and production by traditional methods. Consumers belonging to Quality Enthusiasts seemed to be the most promising segment due to their openness to new products, as well as positive feedback on yoghurt. From the perspective of taking action on the food market, Involved may also be interesting, as it showed their openness to new products available on the food market. However, due to the relatively lower, compared to other segments, assessment on the beneficial effect of yoghurt on health, their taste, aroma, availability, as well as the importance of information on care for the proper method of breeding animals, this segment can pose a special challenge to entrepreneurs. Moreover, Involved seemed to be more demanding and critical towards some projects undertaken on the market by policy makers and marketing practitioners.

Download Full-text

Consumer Preferences for Local and Sustainable Plant Production Characteristics

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.48.2.200 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 200-208 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Bridget K. Behe ◽

Benjamin L. Campbell ◽

Charles R. Hall ◽

Hayk Khachatryan ◽

Jennifer H. Dennis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Market Segmentation ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Plant Production ◽

Marketing Communications ◽

Consumer Survey ◽

Market Segments ◽

Environmental Attributes ◽

Marketing Resources ◽

Locally Grown ◽

Production Characteristics

Some consumers are becoming more interested in and purchasing products that are locally grown and/or ecologically friendly. Market segmentation and product targeting are efficient methods to allocate a firm’s scarce marketing resources to supply heterogeneous markets. This study’s objective was to identify consumer segments, focusing on their gardening purchases, to determine whether there were differences in consumer preferences for provenance and environmental attributes for transplant purchases. Using a consumer survey of U.S. and Canadian consumers, we found that participants who purchased different plant types had distinct preferences for varying environmental attributes and provenances. We profiled nine consumer segments, identifying their plant purchases and preferences for local and sustainably grown products and plant containers. Results provide plant producers and retailers with market segments that can be identified and targeted and provide a basis for customizable marketing communications to enhance profits.

Download Full-text

A Novel Method for Food Market Regulation by Emotional Tendencies Predictions from Food Reviews Based on Blockchain and SAEs

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10061398 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 1398

Author(s):

Zhihao Hao ◽

Guancheng Wang ◽

Dianhui Mao ◽

Bob Zhang ◽

Haisheng Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Consumer Preferences ◽

Security Analysis ◽

Web Pages ◽

Market Regulation ◽

Safety Research ◽

Transaction Process ◽

Stacked Autoencoders ◽

Regulation Method ◽

Food Market ◽

Regulation Strategies

As a part of food safety research, researches on food transactions safety has attracted increasing attention recently. Food choice is an important factor affecting food transactions safety: It can reflect consumer preferences and provide a basis for market regulation. Therefore, this paper proposes a food market regulation method based on blockchain and a deep learning model: Stacked autoencoders (SAEs). Blockchain is used to ensure the fairness of transactions and achieve transparency within the transaction process, thereby reducing the complexity of the trading environment. In order to enhance the usability, relevant Web pages have been developed to make it more friendly and conduct a security analysis for using blockchain. Consumers’ reviews after the transactions are finished can be used to train SAEs in order to perform emotional tendencies predictions. Compared with different advanced models for predictions, the test results show that SAEs have a better performance. Furthermore, in order to provide a basis for the formulation of regulation strategies and its related policies, case studies of different traders and commodities have also been conducted, proving the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Download Full-text

Heterogeneous Consumer Preferences for Native and Invasive Plants: Evidence from Experimental Auctions

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.47.8.1091 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 1091-1095 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chengyan Yue ◽

Terry Hurley ◽

Neil O. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Invasive Plants ◽

Market Segmentation ◽

Native Plants ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Consumer Attitudes ◽

Supply Side ◽

Native Plant ◽

Experimental Auction ◽

Experimental Auctions ◽

Market Segments

All stakeholders along the supply chain affect the dispersal of native and invasive horticultural plants. This is especially true for the consumers who determine how the plants are ultimately used. Therefore, consumer attitudes toward native and invasive plants cannot be ignored. This study used an experimental auction to explore market segmentation among consumers in terms of their preference and willingness to pay for labeled native and invasive attributes. We identified three market segments, namely, “nativists” (16%), “invasive averse” (34%), and “typical” (50%) consumers. The three segments of consumers differed in their demographics and attitudes toward native and invasive attributes. From a government policy perspective, labeling invasive or native plants could potentially change the behavior of some consumers, but half of the market is unlikely to be substantially swayed by invasive/native labeling. Therefore, supply-side intervention policies such as sales restrictions may be more effective at promoting native plant purchases and restricting the purchase and spread of invasive plants.

Download Full-text