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Examinations of Attitudes towards Functional Foods – Literature Review
21-34Views:281The current study of our two-part paper series dealing with psychological influences on functional food consumer behaviour focuses on attitudes towards functional foods, while the subsequent study will discuss other psychological influential factors. Several research studies have already examined attitudes towards functional foods but the wide range of available products, the significant international heterogeneity of attitudes and the diversity of the applied research methods make their comparison and generalization remarkably hard. This paper aims to organize these research studies according to specific standpoints, and based on this, to draw generalizable conclusions. Based on the literature review, we can state that attitudes towards functional foods are positive worldwide, and those attitudes have a positive effect on the purchase and consumption of functional foods. There are, of course, international differences in attitude factors that play a significant role in this positive effect, and also in the composition of those factors. These differences can be attributed primarily to the different development stages of markets. However, we can state that the most important attitude factor everywhere is the reward from using functional foods (health protection and promotion, well-being, good performance and mood) that has to be forwarded stated simply and obviously towards the consumers in marketing communication messages. Besides this, social necessity (including medicine-like effects) of and confidence in functional foods also influence the intention for consumption, thus, the healing effect can also be a useful buzzword in messages. In the less developed markets – such as Hungary – confidence includes the belief in the safety of the products indicating the fact that where consumers are not familiar with these products, perceived risks of functional foods can be a strong barrier to their consumption. Therefore, a key role of marketing communication messages in those markets is the reduction of perceived risks. It is worth noting, however, that functional foods cannot be seen as a homogeneous food category, thus the importance of different attitude factors may vary between the different types of food. Additionally, consumers cannot be seen as one, homogeneous group, either, therefore different marketing communication messages developed according to the attitude-based segments will be effective.
JEL codes: D11, M31
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Successful Small Business – Effective Marketing? Prospects on the Food Market for a Small Company
91-104Views:117Successful small companies concentrate their marketing strategy on satisfying the specific requirements of market niches which are unprofitable for big concerns. It is a complicated task on the market of common consumer goods – like the food market – because it is difficult to find the right buyer segment among the large number of costumers. It is more difficult to choose the adequate distribution and communication channels. The Darnó-Hús (Darnó Meat) – situated in the north-west of Hungary near the Austrian and the Slovakian borders – also faces this problem. Firstly, they do not choose between traditional local food and functional foods, so they obviously aim at two niches. Secondly, small well-branded bakery shops and big supermarkets can be found among the company’s sales points. Furthermore, these sales points are geographically not concentrated. This small company cannot afford to spend much on widespread media communication, so its brand name is not well-known enough to get good product placement locations in the stores. As the SWOT-analysis, which was carried out with the collaboration of the management, points out, there is no unity in the choice between the offensive and defensive strategies. The internal factors of the company, such as high-quality products and excellent professional team, which is flexible enough to fulfil the specific requirements, would assign the company a stronger market position, however, the company’s management does not have adequate marketing tools to achieve a higher penetration into the consumer market. After twenty years in operation, they have to make a decision about the next stage of development. Actually before they start to improve their production capacity, the management has to define their market more precisely. To reach the targeted market niche effectively, more effective branding, clear – emotional and rational – positioning in communication, and adequate selling placement are needed.
JEL code: M31
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Health or Taste? Consumer Dilemmas with Functional Foods – Literature Review
17-29Views:355The current study of our two-part paper series is dealing with one of the most important attitude influences on functional food consumer behaviour. Namely, it focuses on “health effects vs. taste” attitude factor of functional food products, which describes the possible conflict between a pleasant taste and the health benefit of the product. This factor is analysed on the basis of two aspects of factors influencing food choice: internal (food) effects (e.g. sensory aspects) and external (non-food) effects (e.g. psychological, social, cultural factors). The most important internal (or intrinsic) characteristic is the taste of the food product. A remarkable finding of this study is that good taste is a crucial, self-relevant characteristic of any food product and bad taste would not be accepted in functional food products either. Consumers are hardly willing to compromise on the taste of functional food products for potential health benefits. Another aspect in the case of functional food products is that intrinsic product characteristics are given by the combination of the health-enhancing ingredient with the type of carrier product used. Studies have shown that functional ingredients that weaken the taste of such food products reduce their acceptance. There is a consensus in the literature that a natural match between added ingredient and carrier product increases the overall acceptance of functional food products. External (or extrinsic) characteristics, e.g. psychological and lifestyle factors, and socio-cultural differences provide further aspects of the potential conflict of “health effects vs. taste”. From a psychological point of view, one may assume that an individual who chooses a functional food is committed to the products’ benefits and may be willing to accept some unpleasant taste in order to achieve the desired health benefit. It has to be noted, however, that although the importance of a given health benefit may lead to the acceptance of an unpleasant taste, this acceptance is not necessarily supported by each of the health benefits. Lifestyle variables also influence the acceptance of functional foods, e.g. wellness-oriented consumers appear to be more willing to trade the taste for health benefits. However, the segment of consumers who are ready to sacrifice the taste for potential health benefits cannot be identified by using classical demographic characteristics as segmentation variables. The “health effects vs. taste” conflict is influenced by cultural differences, too. E.g. the priority of taste can be observed in whole Europe; in contrast, the preference for nutritional benefits is rather typical in the Asian countries. The final conclusion of our study is similar to that of the literature. Good taste and healthiness are not necessarily to be traded-off against each other. Hoping for consumer willingness to compromise on the taste for health is highly speculative and risky, so the functional food industry must develop good taste solutions. In addition to sensory perception of the food, the expectations have also been found to have an impact on the acceptance of functional food products. Consumers’ expectations are highly influenced by marketing communications. In case of functional food products marketing communication is strongly based on health-related information and this information influences not only the perception of healthiness but the liking of foods, too. Hence, additional values of functional food products (health+convenience+pleasure) have to be communicated as hedonic values, emphasizing especially the role of pleasure.
JEL codes: D11, M31
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Analysis of the Affective and Conative Components of Consumer Attitude in the Image of the Pálinka
21-32Views:258The research aim is to explore the potential role of consumer attitude components in image development related to a traditional Hungarian alcoholic beverage, the pálinka. This study focuses on the effect of the affective and conative components of attitude on image of the pálinka. The relevance of this research is the expansion of the pálinka market in recent years and the change of the regulatory environment about homemade spirits. Distillate made at home, which product improperly called homemade pálinka, is very popular in Hungary. This study was supported by the data from a nationwide, representative consumer survey carried out in 2019 and 2020. A total of 626 subjects participated in this survey, the sample is representative for the Hungarian adult population according to gender, age group and region. To understand the effect of the affective and conative attitude components, we used Likert scales and graphically illustrate the consumer feeling and behavior about the homemade spirit and the “in-store” pálinka. The study confirmed the advantage of homemade spirit image over in-store pálinka, and points out the importance of education and information in the case of the affective and conative components of consumer attitude. The reconsidering of the marketing communication of the in-store pálinka producers is timely and very important; however, this task requires a comprehensive marketing strategy covering all three attitude components, and this is the only way for them to remain competitive.
JEL Codes: M31 -
The Marketing Communication Opportunities of the Probiotic Yoghurt
103-107Views:58The probiotic yoghurt is a product category, representing added value, which can be assigned into the functional food product category. During the research, We collected primer informations about the consumer attitudes and customer habits in connection with these products. During the survey a national, 1000 people repesentative customer were interviewed in July 2013, among 18-75 year-old population. Two focus group interviews were also conducted. Based on the obtained results, conclusions were drawn about the effective and appropriate marketing communications strategy for the development of consumer groups. Surveys have shown that there is a need of probiotic yogurt in the market, consumers demand and are looking for these products. However, you should keep in mind the differentiated communication directed toward different groups of consumers.
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Fight for Customers - Correlations of Trade Organizations and Sales Promotionon the Hungarian FMCG Market
31-38Views:111Tract of time after the millennial brought well definable changes in retailers’ trade organizations and marketing activity in the Hungarian three-pole FMCG market. Operation conditions of enterprises became more complicated which is also reflected in the variability of the number and intensity of relevant influencing factors as well as in the difficulties of forecasting them. Out of these the change of consumer/purchase behaviour, the growth of competition intensity, the swell of procurement marketing, changes in channel position, the innovation of informatics and info communication tools, the dominant change of economic environment, the stiffening legislation and the unexpected influence of ecological environment can be highlighted. An important starting point for exploring the impact of the changes focusing on market competition is that the number and activity of chain stores operating in Hungary has stabilized, which has shifted the direction of research to explore the relationship between trade organization and marketing, improving competitive advantages and management efficiency.
JEL Code: M31 -
The Role of the Cognitive Component of Consumer Attitude in the Image of the Pálinka
21-32Views:282The research aim is to explore the potential role of consumer attitude components in image development related to a traditional Hungarian alcoholic beverage, the pálinka. This study focuses on the effect of the cognitive component of attitude on image of the pálinka. The relevance of this research is the expansion of the pálinka market in recent years and the changing of the regulatory environment about homemade spirits. Distillate made at home, which product improperly called homemade pálinka, is very popular in Hungary. Based on the qualitative studies, the most important characteristics in the consumer perception of alcoholic beverage are quality, price, prestige, fashion and origin. The importance of these attributes of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Hungary was assessed by the participants on Likert scales. Homemade spirit has the most favorable attitude and in-store pálinka has the most unfavorable attitude. To understand the effect of the cognitive component, we used two types of the multiattribute attitude model of Fishbein. By using a 7-point semantic differential scale, we could graphically illustrate the consumer belief about the homemade and in-store pálinka. Image profiles on the semantic differential scales show the differences in image of the analysed alcoholic beverages. The study confirmed the advantage of homemade spirit image over in-store pálinka, points out the importance of education and information in the case of the cognitive component of consumer attitude. The reconsidering of the marketing communication of the in-store pálinka producers is very important and urgent.
JEL Classification: M31
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Are We Going Green Online Too? Consumers’ Attitude Towards Companies’ Ecomarketing Communication in Online Space
3-19Views:263Nowadays environmental protection is one of the most pressing global topics that appears in more and more corporate promotions. The expansion of the Internet and the rise of the digital world and social media have opened up new opportunities for companies to carry out green promotional activities. The purpose of the study is to examine the attitude of consumers in the online space towards the promotion of companies related to environmental protection and to propose different strategies in this regard. In this article, using netnographic research method, the comments received under the environmental protection related Facebook posts of the top 12 Hungarian FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) companies are analyzed and users are segmented, based on their attitude and reactions. Three main groups (supporters, critics, objectives) and eight subgroups can be distinguished (idealists, humorists, interested, helpless, experienced, smartass, informants and whishers) in the case of companies' Facebook posts related to the environment. Critics can generate negative eWom, while supporters can generate positive online word of mouth for the company. Finally, regarding the treatment of different segmented groups, we formulate online and offline strategies that companies should follow. It is recommended for companies to continuously monitor and analyze online comments, since with the help of feedback they can improve their operational activities and avoid image damage caused by negative word of mouth.
JEL Codes: M31; M37; F64 -
Analysis of the Health – Environment – Nutrition Nexus: A Review
3-24Views:886The fastest improvement of the wealth and quality of life was witnessed in last decades by the humanity globally. Economic and social development, however, influenced the state and processes of the natural environment at the same time significantly. Food supply is one of the major interfaces between the society and the natural resources, as we highlight in our literature review; approximately one-third of the resource use and pollution is originated in nutritional needs. Also, health effects of western diet are remarkable. Consequently, debate on ‘healthy diet’ and ‘environmentally friendly’ food supply chain became complementary and reinforcing topics recently, at least in the scientific communication.
JEL Codes: F64, I12, O13, Q4, Q5
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The Effect of Product Information on the Consumer Behaviour in the Course of Food Purchase
73-83Views:187This study investigates the course of the consumer’s information progression in order to underlie further quantitative and qualitative researches. This survey reviews the whole process of the information progression through which the consumer can decide which product to choose. The optimal consumption structure is configured by different principles and effects, and on the other hand every consumer is influenced by a diversity of information during the decision making process and the usage as well. The process of how individuals elaborate this information depends on numerous factors. The demographic and personality factors, qualification and profession, extant knowledge, the motivation for looking for information are very important as well as the evaluation of data. The cognitive, conative and emotive attitudes play an important role in the different stages of the information processes. The diverse information sources have a different effect on the consumer, too. The effectiveness of the information transfer is influenced by the consciousness of the consumer and how voluntarily they want to optimize their decision. In this process the extent to which they are concerned (for example a disease or prevention) plays a remarkable role. An important function of the stakeholders is to support the consumer’s decision with incomplex, laconic and authentic information. Without this the intended communication may generate a contradictory effect, however too much information may lead to rejection.
JEL codes: M31, P36
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Awareness and Effect of CSR on Consumer Decisions
15-27Views:260Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a common topic, both at national and international levels. Profit maximisation is essential for companies, but they should not forget the social and environmental impacts of their activities. The question of sustainability is also a common topic requiring examination. The future of the Earth, our natural resources and the generations that will come after us also impact on the responsibilities of companies. For many companies, this kind of responsibility is natural and they take such CSR and sustainable steps that are worth following. From modern society, there is a high expectation and even strong pressure on companies to conduct responsible business practice. The number of responsible companies is increasing due to this pressure. What do we mean by CSR? What sorts of activities and steps are covered by CSR? What are the motivators of the CSR strategies, CSR activities of companies? What are their reasons? Many researchers investigate the motivators of CSR. From them, opinion on the company, image of the company, “consumers will prefer us”, are among the most frequent ones. However, are the CSR actions of companies appreciated by consumers? The results of many researchers demonstrate that they are not appreciated. In general, responsible business practise is a high expectation from consumers, but when purchasing a product, this aspect is one of the least important factors. The aim of this paper is to collect some of the most relevant research findings on CSR, to introduce the informedness of Hungarian respondents on CSR in general, to find out the main influencing factors of their purchasing decisions, and also find correlations between the received results and the demographic variables based on our primary research. Our results support the present practice in terms of the definition of CSR. Almost all the listed alternatives are strongly associated with CSR by the respondents. The highest average received for the “creating workplaces, employment” alternative indicates the importance of this activity. Regarding the different factors influencing purchasing decision, our results underline the importance of price and price value ratio. This research finding is in line with other research findings, which shows that CSR actions of companies, responsible business practice is not the number one influencing factor of actual consumer decision.
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Game-meat Consumption Behavior the Image and Market Positioning of Quality Venison
141-147Views:44The purpose of our research is to understand the wild game meat, and more specifically, venison consumption behavior of the Hungarian population. In order to examine the issue, we have conducted questionnaire surveys as well as focus group interviews. Only 36.6% of the respondents reported that they consume game-based foods with some frequency. The main reason for the low consumption rate is related to the price of wild game meat which consumers consider too high. Based on focus group interviews, we concluded that the main problem is that most people do not even consider trying game-meat as they do not know about possible preparation methods. The results of our questionnaire survey reveal that 22.4% of the population has consumed red deer, while fallow deer has only been consumed by 7.7%. The respondents primarily associate deer meat with men, as they consider hunting and the preparation of wild-game foods a masculine activity. In Hungary, deer meat is a lesser known product considered to be a luxury good, for which a new marketing communication and sales strategy is needed. Limiting factors include unfamiliarity, high price and that respondents consider wild-game a seasonal product.