Enduring involvement with wine: predictive model and measurement

This exploratory study identifies the dimensions of enduring involvement with wine. This article outlines the conceptualisation and measurement of enduring involvement of consumers with wine in regard to its value order in the hierarchy of needs. A convenience sample yielded 140 useable surveys after questionnaires were administered to pre-qualified consumer respondents. Data were analysed using the Predictive Analytics SoftWare statistical software package and its add-on feature, AMOS 18. It was found that wine consumers exhibit varying dimensions of enduring involvement according to the characteristics of the hierarchical order of need. The dimensions of enduring involvement identified to be associated with wine as a social and esteem value order product were: pleasure/interest, wine-related lifestyle/enjoyment and self-image/sign value. We conclude that enduring involvement is the more important of the two variants (situational and enduring) of the involvement paradigm. When harnessed by wine marketers, this may therefore boost sales and customer loyalty. Marketers need to know the drivers of wine consumers in relation to the product they buy. This will help in communicating the best strategies to adopt for consumers and how they are applied.     

关于专业评酒员在白酒专业界定与消费者爱好的认知差异和关系

随着白酒行业的变化，主、客体之间的关系也发生较大的变化，作为企业和消费者间的白酒评酒员的职能也发生了变化。其承担的责任更多，必须保持专业的界定标准和适应市场消费爱好和趋向。白酒评酒员除知晓和提高专业知识外，还必须了解行业发展动态和市场消费动态。（孙悟）     

To meat or not to meat? Comparing empowered meat consumers’ and anti-consumers’ preferences for sustainability labels

An increasing awareness of the impact of high levels of meat consumption on health and environmental sustainability is leading to a growing number of consumers reducing or avoiding meat. To address gaps in the literature, we compare and contrast the importance of the seven sustainability-related labels for three consumer groups (meat eaters, meat reducers and vegetarians) using a choice experiment involving 600 UK respondents (200 meat eaters, 200 meat reducers, 200 vegetarians). Type of meat, price and fat content labels have the largest overall impact on consumer choices. The impact of carbon footprint, method of production, origin and brand labels varies across consumer groups.We subsequently use latent class analysis to identify heterogeneous intra-group consumer segments, based on their preferences, and highlight the socio-demographic differences between them. For meat eaters, three consumer segments are identified (empowered, traditional and price conscious meat eaters). Meat reducers are divided into health curtailers and sustainable consumers, while only one segment of vegetarians is identified. By drawing on signalling theory and the consumer empowerment and anti-consumption literature, we identify links between sustainable consumption, consumer empowerment and anti-consumption and provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to utilise food labels to encourage more sustainable consumption.     

Labeling of Vanilla Type Affects Consumer Perception of Vanilla Ice Cream

The effects of labeling vanilla type on consumer liking of vanilla ice cream were evaluated. Three experiments with 144 to 150 panelists using 4 commercial ice creams were done where the samples were initially not labeled with the type of vanilla flavoring, then labeled, and finally labeled either correctly or incorrectly. Three experiments (116 to 150 panelists) then were conducted similarly for 3 laboratory‐made ice creams. When the 4 commercial samples were not labeled, a natural vanilla‐flavored sample was liked less (P < 0.05) than mixed‐flavored samples overall; when labeled, the naturally flavored and 1 of the mixed‐flavor ice creams were liked equally overall (P > 0.05). Products labeled “natural” (correctly or incorrectly) were liked more (P < 0.05) overall than products with other labels. When laboratory‐made ice creams (natural, artificial, mixed flavored) were evaluated, the labeled, naturally flavored sample was liked more than the unlabeled sample overall; when labeled, the artificially flavored ice cream was liked less than the unlabeled sample. Labeling was shown to affect consumer liking.     

深圳市居民对转基因食品及其标识认知的再调查与分析

为了解目前消费者对转基因食品及其标识的认知程度,本文通过问卷调查的方式,对深圳市消费者进行了调查。调查结果表明,深圳市消费者对转基因食品的认知程度仍需要加强,消费者获得转基因食品信息的客观、科学、全面的宣传渠道缺乏,转基因食品的基本知识普及不够,消费者对于转基因食品标签标识认识严重匮乏。针对调查结果反映的问题提出了加强转基因食品及其标识管理的建议。     

Invited review: Sustainability: Different perspectives,inherent conflict

Consumer definitions of sustainability are largely uninformed by scientific research and may not align with industry definitions. Furthermore, consumers themselves have varied perceptions, definitions, and opinions of sustainability that vary between categories and products within the dairy category. Understanding these differences and developing marketing messaging aligned with consumer sustainability definitions offer an advantage to dairy product producers when strategically positioning their products in a changing marketplace. This review outlines the factors that may affect consumer sustainability perceptions to provide a basis for future marketing and scientific work. Consumer trends and desires for sustainability are explored, including how they are reflected in the rapid growth of plant-based alternatives. Factors that may influence consumer perception of dairy as sustainable are covered in detail, including packaging, labeling, animal welfare, organic status, grass-fed or pasture-raised feeding systems, and local and clean label perceptions. Finally, a discussion of the challenges of marketing dairy foods with sustainability messages is addressed.     

消费者偏好的变化对欧盟农业和食品政策的影响:一个宏观概览

由于经济福利的改善、农业生产率的提高、消费者健康意识的增强和食品安全危机等多重影响,欧盟消费者对食品的偏好特征发生了改变,推动了欧盟农业和食品政策关注点从传统的供给和收入问题向食品质量和安全问题转变。本文在论述了消费者偏好变化和欧盟农业与食品政策变革的基础上,分析讨论了消费者对欧盟政策和标准的影响。     

Influence of Images on the Evaluation of Jams Using Conjoint Analysis Combined with Check‐All‐That‐Apply (CATA) Questions

A study of the influence of the use of images in a conjoint analysis combined with check‐all‐that apply (CATA) questions on jams was carried out. The relative importance of flavor and the information presented in the label in the willingness to purchase and the perception of how healthy the product is has been evaluated. Sixty consumers evaluated the stimuli presented only in text format (session 1), and another group of 60 consumers did so by receiving the stimuli in text format along with an image of the product (session 2). In addition, for each stimulus, consumers answered a CATA question consisting of 20 terms related to their involvement with the product. The perception of healthy increased when the texts were accompanied with images and also increased when the text included information. Willingness to purchase was only influenced by the flavor of the jams. The presence of images did not influence the CATA question's choice of terms, which were influenced by the information presented in the text. The use of a check‐all‐that‐apply question in concepts provided an interesting possibility when they were combined with the results from the conjoint analysis, improving the comprehension of consumers’ perception. Using CATA questions as an alternative way of evaluating consumer involvement seems to be beneficial and should be evaluated much further.     

Use of an exopolysaccharide-producing strain of Streptococcus thermophilus in the manufacture of Mexican Panela cheese

An exopolysaccharide (EPS) producing strain of Streptococcus thermophilus was evaluated for the production of Panela cheese using two total solids milk (TSM) concentrations (12.5 and 17.5 g/100 mL). This ropy strain increased cheese yield; nevertheless, with 12.5 TSM the increment was higher than with 17.5 TSM. Analysis of cheese composition showed that with 12.5 TSM, the ropy strain increased moisture, but did not change the fat or non fat solids on dry weight basis (dwb), suggesting that the increment of the yield is only due to water retention. In 17.5 TSM cheeses the ropy strain caused an increase in the moisture and fat (dwb), suggesting that besides water retention, fat also contributed to the yield. The difference in yield increment could be explained by cheese composition: higher fat content creates a more hydrophobic environment, which would expel more water than the cheese with lower fat content. Electron microscopy showed EPS attached to the protein matrix of the cheeses. In 17.5 TSM cheeses EPS was observed around the milk fat globules (MFG), confirming that higher TSM causes EPS to bind the MFG besides binding the protein matrix, retaining fat within the cheese. Sensory evaluation demonstrated that ropy cheeses were softer and creamier.