Understanding consumer resistance to the consumption of organic food. A study of ethical consumption,purchasing, and choice behaviour

Although the demand for organic food is growing globally, the mainstream consumption of organic food is far less. The present study attempts to understand the underlying reasons for consumer resistance toward consuming organic food using the theoretical framework of innovation resistance theory (IRT). The study further examines the association between different consumer barriers and purchase decisions (purchase intentions, ethical consumption intentions, and choice behaviour) at different levels of buying involvement and environmental concerns. The collected data, consisting of 452 consumers, were analyzed by structural equation modeling approach. The results showed that value barrier shared a negative association with purchase intentions and ethical consumption intentions. Ethical consumption and purchase intention were found to have a direct influence on choice behaviour. Additionally, the relationship between ethical consumption intention and choice behaviour is mediated by purchase intention. However, no significant differences have emerged based on the level of buying involvement and environment concerns. The findings of the study provide insight into public policymakers, marketers, suppliers, and consumer associations by enhancing their current understanding of buying behaviour of the growing organic food community.     

Conceptualizing “free-from” food consumption determinants: A systematic integrative literature review focused on gluten and lactose

BackgroundGluten- and lactose-free products are registering a sudden rise in the market, particularly among tolerant people, and this leads to consumer confusion and nutritional inadequacies. The number of studies around this trend has steadily increased in the last 10 years, as scholars from different disciplines have tried to rationalize consumers’ behaviours in these foods’ choice. However, the scientific debate appears fragmented and lacks an integrated view.ObjectivesWe conducted a systematic integrative review of consumers’ determinants of gluten-free and lactose-free consumption to frame the state of the art and research gaps.Methods45 English language articles reporting quantitative empirical studies ranging from 1971 and 2019 were analysed. First we categorized the consumption determinants in six factors applying the model proposed by Koster and Mojet, then we proposed a new integrated conceptualization inspired by Bronfenbrenner’s Transtheoretical Model. Moreover, differences and similarities between tolerant and intolerant consumers will be highlighted.ResultsResearch on intolerant consumers focused more on individuals’ determinants, in terms of awareness, trust, morality, and capability to read nutritional facts (as purchase facilitators); while studies targeting tolerant consumers focused more on objective product characteristics (with price and availability in supermarkets as barriers for consumption). In this target the subjective perspective has been studied only referring to the risk for developing psychological issues in the restrictive diet.ConclusionAs information is lacking in the scientific debate, we suggest for future research the integration of consumers’ subjective implicit levers to decipher free-from purchase behaviours.     

Oil Demand and Stocks

Current data of world oil demand. This includes international bunkers and refinery fuel. Updated on a monthly basis. Current data of oil demand from counties such as Canada, the United States of America, Japan, OECD Europe, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, Republic of Korea, and Turkey. Updated on a monthly basis. Current data for crude oil and refined product stocks in Canada, Chile, Mexico, the United States (Western Hemisphere), France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and Other Europe (Europe), Japan, Republic of Korea, Other Pacific (Asia-Pacific), and Total OECD (Table 12.1) Current data for refined product stocks in the OECD Western Hemisphere, OECD Europe, OECD Asia-Pacific and Total OECD. Products include gasoline, diesel and gasoil, and heavy fuel oil. Updated on a monthly basis (Table 12.2).     

不同苯乙烯工艺技术经济分析及建议

通过对国内外苯乙烯市场供需趋势的梳理,针对4种苯乙烯主要生产工艺,重点从原料可获性、产品质量、能耗物耗以及成本竞争力等方面对不同工艺主要技术经济指标进行了对比分析,并提出了行业可持续发展的有关建议。     

重庆主城区城市空间结构演变与优化——基于公共服务功能组织视角

城市空间结构与城市公共服务功能组织密切相关。重庆主城区作为典型的"多中心、组团式"城市,在城市公共服务功能的就近组织、公共服务需求的均衡化方面具有先天的优势。本文梳理重庆主城区空间结构的演进历程以及与公共服务需求变化的互动关系,辨识随着城市功能由生产向消费转型,空间面临的结构问题及其内在动因,借鉴马斯洛理论,提出顺应当前及未来公共服务需求层次的分异,城市空间结构应从"多中心、组团式"进一步向"分层多中心、组团式"优化,引导形成相对集中、功能综合的基层"小、微中心"体系,以有序组织公共服务功能,最大限度地减少非必要交通出行,降低居民出行的时耗,提升城市效率,并借鉴恩格尔系数构建衡量城市效率的评价框架,为破解山地城市空间结构问题,推动城市空间转型提供新的思考视角。     

Seeing sweet and choosing sour: Compensatory effects of typeface on consumers’ choice behavior

The present research included two field studies investigating, firstly, the effects of round and angular typefaces on taste expectations and, secondly, how such expectations may have downstream effects on naturalistic consumer choice. A taste experiment conducted at a science festival asked participants (N = 125) to rate the expected and actual sweetness and sourness of beer served from plastic cups labelled with either angular or round typeface. Effects of typeface were found on both taste expectations and perceived taste, but in opposite directions; participants rated the expected sourness of a beer as higher in the round (vs. angular) typeface condition, whereas they rated perceived sourness as lower in the round compared to the angular typeface condition. A follow-up field study conducted at a beer bar tested whether different typefaces on a beer board would affect actual beer choices. Data consisted of beer transactions (N = 1,952) and included the monetary amount, and the specific style, and size of beer purchased. The results showed that average transaction amount was lower in the round (vs. angular) typeface condition, and that customers purchased more sour beer options in this condition. These findings support a crossmodal compensation account, and suggest that round typefaces could increase choices of contrasting sour products. Hence, marketers may want to consider how typefaces can either enhance or diminish certain tastes.     

Attitude-behaviour dissonance regarding the importance of food preservation for customers

The aim of the study was to identify the importance of individual food product attributes (the use of preservatives, processing method, shelf-life period and nutritional value) as well as their relation to the purchase behaviour. To achieve this, consumer preferences were decomposed in conditions of full access to information, and data was compared with actual consumer behaviour related to making purchasing decisions in front of the store shelf. Based on data from 338 respondents, conjoint analysis and repeated ANOVA measurements were carried out, allowing to eliminate individual behavioural patterns. The results showed a dissonance between the consumers attitudes towards the attributes and their shopping behaviour. The processing method was the most important declared attribute for consumers, meanwhile this information was the least searched for during purchase. At the same time, shelf-life period marked as the least important was the main information searched for by consumers when shopping. The results also show a clear dislike towards the use of microwaves as a preservation method, while traditional thermal preservation was marked as the most positive for consumers. In addition, consumers were classified into 3 heterogeneous groups, identifying differences in the preferences of food attributes. The obtained results have practical value relating not only to the preferences of individual attributes, but also to their various variants. The results can be a guide for companies to properly label food products. The indicated dissonance illustrates the educational gap and related insufficient motivation to get to know the product before buying it. This is extremely important in connection with technological development and new food processing methods.     

环氧丙烷产业现状及发展趋势

简述了全球及我国环氧丙烷产业的生产及供需现状;对环氧丙烷在聚醚多元醇、丙二醇/碳酸二甲酯、丙二醇醚及其酯类等领域的应用进行了分析;并对环氧丙烷生产技术进行了比较,提出了发展建议。     

微电解Fenton法处理有机废水可行性研究

采用微电解Fenton法处理硫铵酯-苯甲羟肟酸-苯胺黑有机废水。考察了初始pH值、铁屑及活性炭投入量、曝气量、H₂O₂用量、催化剂MnO₂加入量和反应时间对废水COD、NH₃-N和色度去除率的影响。最佳条件为:初始pH=3、铁屑用量70 g/L、活性炭用量80 g/L、H₂O₂用量7 mg/L、MnO₂用量8.0 g/L、曝气量500 mL/(min·L)、反应时间20 min,此时废水COD、NH₃-N和色度的去除率达88.21%、93.57%和98.68%。通过多因素正交实验确定了影响COD、NH₃-N和色度去除率的因素强弱顺序为:铁屑投入量=活性炭投入量>H₂O₂用量>pH值>MnO₂用量。