Cue similarity; Food; Questionnaire; Social; Sustainability; Business and International Management; Economics and Econometrics; Strategy and Management; Marketing
Abstract :
[en] Widely explored in literature, yet it is unclear which food quality cues consumers find most relevant. The increasing consumers’ concern for sustainability aspects in their food buying decisions warrants special attention to environmental-social aspects as food quality indicators. Consequently, this study explores consumer evaluation of food quality and highlights the role of environmental-social cues in food quality evaluation. A cross-national perspective was adopted, using a sample of 761 consumers from Belgium and Romania. Exploratory factor analysis reveals six factors that contained food quality cues perceived as similar by consumers. The first factor, named “Environmental-Social”, comprises cues related to environmental protection and social equity. Regression analyses indicate a set of variables that can predict the perceived relevance of environmental-social cues in food quality evaluation. The present study contributes to understanding of consumer food quality evaluation by extending the analysis to a large number (59) of food quality cues. From a practical stance, the study can guide managers’ efforts to enhance environmentally sustainable behavior based on the relevance of environmental-social cues in consumers’ food quality evaluation.
Disciplines :
Sociology & social sciences
Author, co-author :
Petrescu, Dacinia Crina; Faculty of Business, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania ; Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organization, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Vermeir, Iris; Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organization, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium ; BE4LIFE, Research Center on Sustainable, Healthy and Ethical Consumption, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Burny, Philippe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Modélisation et développement
This study was partially developed through the research program “The creation of a model for the evaluation of food quality from the point of view of consumer health and environmental protection”, selected within the bilateral cooperation between the Romanian Academy and Wallonia – WBI, FRS-FNRS. “La présente publication a été rendue possible grâce à l'Accord qui lie WBI, le FRS-FNRS et l'Académie Roumaine.” The APC for this paper was funded through AGC grants (AGC34266; AGC34267; AGC35604; and AGC35605) awarded by Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.This study was partially developed through the research program ?The creation of a model for the evaluation of food quality from the point of view of consumer health and environmental protection?, selected within the bilateral cooperation between the Romanian Academy and Wallonia ? WBI, FRS-FNRS. ?La pr?sente publication a ?t? rendue possible gr?ce ? l'Accord qui lie WBI, le FRS-FNRS et l'Acad?mie Roumaine.? The APC for this paper was funded through AGC grants (AGC34266; AGC34267; AGC35604; and AGC35605) awarded by Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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