Which Factors Drive Consumer Decisions during Milk Purchase? New Individuals’ Profiles Considering Fresh Pasteurized and UHT Treated Milk

The cow’s milk market is going through a critical period characterised by a continuous contraction in consumption as a consequence of the lack of competitiveness on the market of the conventional product (commodity) versus numerous specialties. This paper aimed to define the profiles of milk consumers in terms of individual preferences (assessed using the best-worst scaling methodology) and socio-demographic features. A survey was conducted in several stores of large-scale retail, convenience stores, and open-air markets distributed in north-west Italy to collect data from 1216 respondents. For milk shopper purchasing habits, two consumer groups were defined and compared in terms of preferences: the fresh pasteurized milk consumer (FPc) (56% of the total sample) and the ultra-high temperature treated milk consumer (UHTc) (35%). A series of two-ways multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were conducted to assess the effect of individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics and the type of milk chosen on the consumer preferences, simultaneously. Significant differences in milk purchasing habits and preferences emerged when comparing the two consumer groups (UHTc and FPc). Empirical evidence of the study supported the starting hypothesis, suggesting the significance or relevance of the consumer socio-demographic characteristic, as well as their interaction effect with the type of milk on the level of importance given to the considered milk quality attributes. On the contrary, the gender results were not significant for the milk preferences definition. The assessment of consumer preferences, associated with the individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics could have important implications for outlining more effective marketing strategies based on a more targeted communication (i.e., related to the sustainability dimension of the local product, nutritional value and brand), leading the consumer back to the commodity rediscovery concerning individuals’ features and habits.

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Latent class analysis and individuals' preferences mapping: the new consumption orientations and perspectives for craft beer in North-West Italy

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-03-2021-0278 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Stefano Massaglia ◽

Valentina Maria Merlino ◽

Simone Blanc ◽

Aurora Bargetto ◽

Danielle Borra

Keyword(s):

Latent Class Analysis ◽

Large Scale ◽

Latent Class ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Class Analysis ◽

Content Type ◽

North West ◽

Craft Beer ◽

Definition Of

PurposeIn Italy, the craft beer (CB) market has undergone a trend of exponential growth in recent years, showing, at the same time, differences among different geographical areas. This research aimed to define the consumer preferences towards different CB attributes by involving a sample of individuals from Piedmont (from North-West Italy). Furthermore, the experimentation was designed to distinguish heterogeneous individuals' consumption profiles each characterised by different CB preferences, drinking habits and socio-demographic characteristics.Design/methodology/approachThe exploration of individuals' preferences towards 12 CB quality attributes was made throughout a choice experiment based on the Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) methodology approach. In addition, the BWS results were employed in the latent class analysis to identify the best sample segmentation in relation to attributes preferences.FindingsThe “Brand knowledge”, “I have already tried it” were the most important attributes for CB choice. On the contrary, the “Type of packaging” and “Price” were the least important for CB choice. The “Loyal”, “Attentive to quality composition” and “Territorial brand” clusters were defined in function of CB consumers preferences and described in terms of individuals consumption habits and socio-demographic characteristics.Originality/valueThe BWS methodology allowed the definition of a preference index for each selected CB attributes. These indications could have concrete importance on production and marketing choices in an increasingly extended and globalised market, also at large-scale distribution level. Furthermore, the definition of different consumption profiles allowed to highlight the heterogeneity of consumption (preferences and habits) towards CB.

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Consumer Preference Heterogeneity Evaluation in Fruit and Vegetable Purchasing Decisions Using the Best–Worst Approach

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods8070266 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (7) ◽

pp. 266 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Stefano Massaglia ◽

Danielle Borra ◽

Cristiana Peano ◽

Francesco Sottile ◽

Valentina Merlino

Keyword(s):

Latent Class ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Consumer Preference ◽

Total Sample ◽

Preference Heterogeneity ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Sociodemographic Variables ◽

Organic Certification ◽

Point Of Purchase ◽

Open Air Markets

This study assesses consumer preferences during fruit and vegetable (FV) sales, considering the sociodemographic variables of individuals together with their choice of point of purchase. A choice experiment was conducted in two metropolitan areas in Northwest Italy. A total of 1170 consumers were interviewed at different FV purchase points (mass retail chains and open-air markets) using a paper questionnaire. The relative importance assigned by consumers to 12 fruit and vegetable product attributes, including both intrinsic and extrinsic quality cues, was assessed by using the best–worst scaling (BWS) methodology. The BWS results showed that “origin”, “seasonality”, and “freshness” were the most preferred attributes that Italian consumers took into account for purchases, while no importance was given to “organic certification”, “variety”, or “brand”. Additionally, a latent class analysis was employed to divide the total sample into five different clusters of consumers, characterized by the same preferences related to FV attributes. Each group of individuals is described on the basis of sociodemographic variables and by the declared fruit and vegetable point of purchase. This research demonstrates that age, average annual income, and families with children are all discriminating factors that influence consumer preference and behavior, in addition to affecting which point of purchase the consumer prefers to acquire FV products from.

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Consumer Attitudes and Preference Exploration towards Fresh-Cut Salads Using Best–Worst Scaling and Latent Class Analysis

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods8110568 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. 568 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Stefano Massaglia ◽

Valentina Maria Merlino ◽

Danielle Borra ◽

Aurora Bargetto ◽

Francesco Sottile ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Latent Class ◽

Demographic Variables ◽

North West ◽

Organic Certification ◽

Best Worst Scaling ◽

Retail Outlets ◽

Market Opportunities ◽

Fresh Cut ◽

Area North

This research explored the preferences and buying habits of a sample of 620 consumers of fresh-cut, ready-to-eat salads. A best–worst scaling approach was used to measure the level of preference stated by individuals regarding 12 attributes for quality (intrinsic, extrinsic and credence) of fresh-cut salads. The experiment was carried out through direct interviews at several large-scale retail outlets in the Turin metropolitan area (north-west of Italy). Out of the total number of questioned consumers, 35% said they did not consume fresh-cut salads. On the contrary, the rest of the involved sample expressed the highest degree of preference towards the freshness/appearance attribute, followed by the expiration date and the brand. On the contrary, attributes such as price, organic certification and food safety did not emerge as discriminating factors in consumer choices. Additionally, five clusters of consumers were identified, whose preferences are related both to purchasing styles and socio-demographic variables. In conclusion, this research has highlighted the positive attitude of consumers towards quality products backed by a brand, providing ideas for companies to improve within this sector and implement strategies to answer the needs of a new segment of consumers, by determining market opportunities that aim to strengthen local brands.

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Integrative cBioPortal Analysis Revealed Molecular Mechanisms That Regulate EGFR-PI3K-AKT-mTOR Pathway in Diffuse Gliomas of the Brain

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13133247 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (13) ◽

pp. 3247

Author(s):

Petar Brlek ◽

Anja Kafka ◽

Anja Bukovac ◽

Nives Pećina-Šlaus

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

In Silico Analysis ◽

Total Sample ◽

Mtor Signaling ◽

Biological Behavior ◽

Mrna Transcription ◽

Diffuse Gliomas ◽

New Treatment ◽

Using Data

Diffuse gliomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors with aggressive biological behavior and a lack of effective treatment methods. Despite new molecular findings, the differences between pathohistological types still require better understanding. In this in silico analysis, we investigated AKT1, AKT2, AKT3, CHUK, GSK3β, EGFR, PTEN, and PIK3AP1 as participants of EGFR-PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling using data from the publicly available cBioPortal platform. Integrative large-scale analyses investigated changes in copy number aberrations (CNA), methylation, mRNA transcription and protein expression within 751 samples of diffuse astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas. The study showed a significant percentage of CNA in PTEN (76%), PIK3AP1 and CHUK (75% each), EGFR (74%), AKT2 (39%), AKT1 (32%), AKT3 (19%) and GSK3β (18%) in the total sample. Comprehensive statistical analyses show how genomics and epigenomics affect the expression of examined genes differently across various pathohistological types and grades, suggesting that genes AKT3, CHUK and PTEN behave like tumor suppressors, while AKT1, AKT2, EGFR, and PIK3AP1 show oncogenic behavior and are involved in enhanced activity of the EGFR-PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway. Our findings contribute to the knowledge of the molecular differences between pathohistological types and ultimately offer the possibility of new treatment targets and personalized therapies in patients with diffuse gliomas.

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Demographic Characterization of Anonymous Trace Travel Data

Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board ◽

10.3141/2526-03 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2526 (1) ◽

pp. 19-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Joshua Auld ◽

Abolfazl (Kouros) Mohammadian ◽

Marcelo Simas Oliveira ◽

Jean Wolf ◽

William Bachman

Keyword(s):

Test Data ◽

Large Scale ◽

Travel Demand ◽

Null Model ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Travel Pattern ◽

Data Set ◽

Trace Data ◽

Demographic Models ◽

Pattern Information

Research was undertaken to determine whether demographic characteristics of individual travelers could be derived from travel pattern information when no information about the individual was available. This question is relevant in the context of anonymously collected travel information, such as cell phone traces, when used for travel demand modeling. Determining the demographics of a traveler from such data could partially obviate the need for large-scale collection of travel survey data, depending on the purpose for which the data were to be used. This research complements methodologies used to identify activity stops, purposes, and mode types from raw trace data and presumes that such methods exist and are available. The paper documents the development of procedures for taking raw activity streams estimated from GPS trace data and converting these into activity travel pattern characteristics that are then combined with basic land use information and used to estimate various models of demographic characteristics. The work status, education level, age, and license possession of individuals and the presence of children in their households were all estimated successfully with substantial increases in performance versus null model expectations for both training and test data sets. The gender, household size, and number of vehicles proved more difficult to estimate, and performance was lower on the test data set; these aspects indicate overfitting in these models. Overall, the demographic models appear to have potential for characterizing anonymous data streams, which could extend the usability and applicability of such data sources to the travel demand context.

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Understanding preferences of German flower consumers: the desire for sustained beauty

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management ◽

10.1108/ijrdm-10-2017-0229 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 46 (6) ◽

pp. 560-576

Author(s):

Meike Rombach ◽

Nicole Widmar ◽

Elizabeth Byrd ◽

Vera Bitsch

Keyword(s):

Latent Class Analysis ◽

Latent Class ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Federal State ◽

Class Analysis ◽

Cut Flower ◽

Cut Flowers ◽

Content Type ◽

Relative Preference ◽

Best Worst Scaling

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide insights for flower retailers, horticultural practitioners and marketing managers into the prioritisation of cut flower attributes by German residents.Design/methodology/approachApplying a best–worst scaling approach, this analysis identified the relative ranking of importance amongst product attributes relevant to German consumers when buying fresh cut flowers. A latent class analysis determined four flower consumer segments for further study. The study builds on a sample of 978 consumers and is consistent with the most recent German census in terms of age, gender, income and federal state.FindingsThe best-worst analysis showed that intrinsic flower attributes, in particular appearance, freshness and scent were found to be more important to German consumers than the extrinsic attributes studied, namely, price, country of origin and a certification indicating fair trade. The latent class analysis determined four consumer segments that desire either budget, luxury or ethical flowers or more information about flowers. For all identified consumer segments, appearance was the attribute of greatest importance. The segments that desired luxury or ethical flowers, as well as the segment that desires more information were interested in appearance, but also had relatively large shares of preferences dedicated to flower freshness guarantees. The preference for freshness guarantees in addition to appearance may be interpreted jointly as a desire for not only beautiful and aesthetically pleasing flowers, but for sustained beauty.Originality/valueInternationally, the study fills a research gap by exploring consumer’s relative preference for cut flower attributes. In contrast to existing studies on consumer preferences for flowers in Germany, the present study builds on a sample that was targeted in terms of age, gender, net household income and federal state to the most recent German census.

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SPATIAL LAYOUT OF THE SOVIET UNION TIMBER PROCESSING COMPLEX: THE IDEA BEHIND THE FIRST FIVE-YEAR PLAN

Tyumen State University Herald Humanities Research Humanitates ◽

10.21684/2411-197x-2021-7-3-131-154 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 131-154

Author(s):

Ivan V. ZYKIN

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

Large Scale ◽

Far East ◽

Spatial Layout ◽

Capital Investments ◽

Wood Industry ◽

North West ◽

The North ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

Central Regions

During the years of Soviet power, principal changes took place in the country’s wood industry, including in spatial layout development. Having the large-scale crisis in the industry in the late 1980s — 2000s and the positive changes in its functioning in recent years and the development of an industry strategy, it becomes relevant to analyze the experience of planning the spatial layout of the wood industry during the period of Stalin’s modernization, particularly during the first five-year plan. The aim of the article is to analyze the reason behind spatial layout of the Soviet wood industry during the implementation of the first five-year plan. The study is based on the modernization concept. In our research we conducted mapping of the wood industry by region as well as of planned construction of the industry facilities. It was revealed that the discussion and development of an industrialization project by the Soviet Union party-state and planning agencies in the second half of the 1920s led to increased attention to the wood industry. The sector, which enterprises were concentrated mainly in the north-west, west and central regions of the country, was set the task of increasing the volume of harvesting, export of wood and production to meet the domestic needs and the export needs of wood resources and materials. Due to weak level of development of the wood industry, the scale of these tasks required restructuring of the branch, its inclusion to the centralized economic system, the direction of large capital investments to the development of new forest areas and the construction of enterprises. It was concluded that according to the first five-year plan, the priority principles for the spatial development of the wood industry were the approach of production to forests and seaports, intrasectoral and intersectoral combining. The framework of the industry was meant to strengthen and expand by including forests to the economic turnover and building new enterprises in the European North and the Urals, where the main capital investments were sent, as well as in the Vyatka region, Transcaucasia, Siberia and the Far East.

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Systematic Position of Pistacia atlantica Desf. Subsp. atlantica in North-West Algeria: Anatomy and Biometry of Leaves

Advanced Research in Life Sciences ◽

10.2478/arls-2020-0018 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 48-53

Author(s):

Mohamed Amara ◽

Mohammed Bouazza ◽

Kheira Errouane ◽

Meriem Kaid-Harche ◽

Djamel Nafil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Resources ◽

Large Scale ◽

Systematic Position ◽

Pistacia Atlantica ◽

North West ◽

Anthropic Activity ◽

West Algeria

Abstract The area of Algerian western north already subjected to a strong climatic rigour and an excessive anthropic activity for several decades, has been confronted with the threats of the alarming degradation of its natural resources, following the example Pistacia atlantica which occupies today only one quite thin proportion of the territory. The study method was based on the phytoecological approach on a very large scale by approaching the anatomical and biometric study of the leaves of Pistacia atlantica in order to identify and confirm the name of the subspecies. The analysis of the results obtained revealed that this subspeciesis atlantica, phenotypically very variable.

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Formation and Land-Use History of Celtic Fields in North-West Europe – an Interdisciplinary Case Study at Zeijen, the Netherlands

European Journal of Archaeology ◽

10.1179/eja.2003.6.2.141 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 141-173 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Theo Spek ◽

Willy Groenman-van Waateringe ◽

Maja Kooistra ◽

Lideweij Bakker

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Iron Age ◽

Large Scale ◽

Roman Period ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

North West ◽

Late Iron Age ◽

History Of

Celtic field research has so far been strongly focused on prospection and mapping. As a result of this there is a serious lack of knowledge of formation and land-use processes of these fields. This article describes a methodological case study in The Netherlands that may be applied to other European Celtic fields in the future. By interdisciplinary use of pedological, palynological and micromorphological research methods the authors were able to discern five development stages in the history of the field, dating from the late Bronze Age to the early Roman Period. There are strong indications that the earthen ridges, very typical for Celtic fields in the sandy landscapes of north-west Europe, were only formed in the later stages of Celtic field agriculture (late Iron Age and early Roman period). They were the result of a determined raising of the surface by large-scale transportation of soil material from the surroundings of the fields. Mainly the ridges were intensively cultivated and manured in the later stages of Celtic field cultivation. In the late Iron Age a remarkable shift in Celtic field agriculture took place from an extensive system with long fallow periods, a low level of manuring and extensive soil tillage to a more intensive system with shorter fallow periods, a more intensive soil tillage and a higher manuring intensity. There are also strong indications that rye (Secale cereale) was the main crop in the final stage of Celtic field agriculture.

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What's Steering Consumer Preferences For Autonomous Vehicles In The Greater Toronto And Hamilton Area?

10.32920/ryerson.14664711 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kailey Laidlaw

Keyword(s):

Willingness To Pay ◽

Household Income ◽

Autonomous Vehicles ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Social Goals ◽

Automated Vehicles ◽

Car Accidents ◽

Frequency Of Use ◽

Environment Variables

Automated vehicles (AVs) have the potential to change the way we travel within our cities. However, the conditions under which consumers will adopt AVs are poorly understood. An internet-based survey was conducted in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area to understand how consumers will respond to automated vehicles. This study estimates the effect of demographic characteristics, travel characteristics, and built-environment variables on respondent’s willingness to pay for private autonomous vehicles and frequency of use for shared autonomous vehicles under different pricing levels. The results indicate that having a higher household income and owning a more expensive vehicle are good predictors of interest in PAVs, whereas individuals who experienced more car accidents as a passenger and individuals who commute using public transit or walk/cycle are more interested in SAVs. Regional rail users, Uber users, and younger respondents were interested in both ownership models. This provides insight to help policymakers advance transportation policies and collective social goals.

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