RESUMEN
Branding is an important tool to increase a product's value. Fresh fruits and vegetables are largely unbranded. This study aimed to 1) investigate consumer preferences for brands (including brand transfers) of fresh produce, compared with other extrinsic attributes, 2) identify consumer segments and describe them with the psychological scale "food and beverage need for uniqueness" (FBNFU), and 3) explore consumer thought processing of brands during choice. We applied a concurrent mixed-methods approach: a discrete choice experiment and latent class analysis (quantitative) and a think-aloud interview (qualitative). Results showed that brands are not generally the most important attribute for choice. Experimental brand transfers received the lowest preference rating (i.e., part-worth utilities). However, for certain consumer segments, branding is most important. The consumer segments with the strongest preference for brands showed the highest level of FBNFU. Consumers' thought process during choice typically starts with brand recognition, and associations follow. Consumers with negative or no associations, or who were unfamiliar with the brand, disregarded the brand as the choice process progressed. Our results provide insights into the value of fresh-produce brands for consumers. Practitioners should target the FBNFU mindset and maximize brand awareness when promoting branded fresh produce.
RESUMEN
At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, sales of nonperishable food drastically increased in Germany. Reports of hoarding and panic buying flooded the media. To identify the drivers of the increased sales of these products, we carried out an online survey with n = 495 people living in Germany. We followed a concurrent triangulation design. For the quantitative analysis, we extended the theory of planned behavior to identify possible reasons for stockpiling nonperishable food. The results suggest that "attitude," "subjective norm," and the "fear of future unavailability" were main drivers of stockpiling behavior in our sample. Additionally, we analyzed answers to open questions capturing participants' own explanations of why they did or did not stockpile nonperishable food. By contrasting the results, we found that our qualitative results validate some of our quantitative findings but also deliver new insights. For instance, a key stated reason for stockpiling nonperishable food was to reduce shopping frequency.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19/psicología , Comportamiento del Consumidor , Alimentos , Pandemias , Pánico , Teoría Psicológica , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Femenino , Alemania , Acaparamiento , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
This study focuses on the effects of the use of green spaces on the self-reported well-being measures of life satisfaction and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. We compare two distinct groups of people: garden owners and non-garden owners. We collected quantitative data and data from an open-ended question online from 495 people living in all regions of Germany in May 2020. To analyze our quantitative data, we used a combination of descriptive statistics and hierarchal regressions. Here, results indicated that garden owners had substantially greater life satisfaction and mental well-being than non-garden owners. Additionally, the two groups differed statistically significant in many socioeconomic factors (e.g., income, age, fear of job loss), in the context of time spent outside, as well as personality traits. Our analyses suggest that these differences are valuable for understanding differences between the two groups' self-reported well-being. To analyze the open-ended question, we followed the main steps of a qualitative content analysis. Here, we found that the vast majority of participants associated positive meanings (e.g., freedom and joy) with private gardens and public green spaces during the pandemic. Our findings have implications for policies to promote and support the design and use of public green spaces. Overall, our findings support governmental decisions in Germany (as elsewhere) to keep public green spaces open during the first wave of the outbreak of COVID-19, suggesting that green spaces provide valuable support for self-reported well-being in these difficult times of COVID-19 contagion.