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Food Nutritional Quality: A Pilot Study On Consumer Awareness

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  • Schmitz, John D.
  • Nayga, Rodolfo M., Jr.

Abstract

Retail food demand studies are becoming increasingly concerned with the role of nutrition and health, yet consumer perceptions and attitudes are often ignored. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine consumer perceptions involving nutrition levels for selected foods. The influence of demographics and information about nutrition and health on perceptions toward meat items are determined. Results generally indicate that consumer perceptions toward fat and cholesterol levels in meats are based on the comparison of animal sources, not the comparison of individual cuts or preparation techniques. Recent efforts in the study of retail food demand have moved toward the role of nutrition and health. Several attempts have been made to measure the role that nutrition plays in food value or purchase habits (LaFrance (1983), Huffman (1988), Brown and Shrader (1990)). These studies use actual nutritional content of foods consumed to estimate demand impacts. However, it is possible that consumers perceive the nutritional elements of certain foods to be significantly different than actual levels. Differences between actual and perceived levels represent measurement error in these variables. Such errors may adversely affect the results of our demand studies. Consumer misperceptions may be an especially important issue when a utility maximization model such as Lancaster's Consumer Goods Characteristics Model (CGCM) is used. In such a model, the utility function arguments are the characteristics of the goods not the goods themselves. If consumers misperceive the nutritional value of food products, such models should include the perceived levels of nutrition, not the actual levels. The CGCM has been used extensively in recent years. In particular, CGCM was used by Ladd and Suvannant (1976) to test if food prices were a sum of the values of certain nutrients; by Adrian and Daniels (1976) to estimate nutrient demand based in part on demographic variables; by Morgan, Metzen, and Johnson (1979) to estimate hedonic prices for breakfast cereal characteristics; and by Terry, Brooker, and Eastwood (1986) to estimate the demand for nutrients. Each of these studies used actual nutrition levels. If, however, perceived nutrition levels are different than the actual levels, the results and conclusions may be affected. Results from these models vary widely. In the case of some nutrients, the implicit values can switch from significantly positive to significantly negative across models. Some of the variability may be associated with specification and differences in time periods. However, some variation may result from differences in perceptions which also change over time. Models which do not directly specify nutrient levels may fall prey to another problem. Work by Brown and Schrader (1990) and later by Capps and Schmitz (1990) utilize an index of nutritional awareness. Models of this nature allow for consumer perceptions to be included. However, when results of these models are reviewed, the results are compared to actual data, not perceptions. These results may be compared to the wrong benchmarks. Thus perceptions need to be considered, regardless of the approach used.

Suggested Citation

  • Schmitz, John D. & Nayga, Rodolfo M., Jr., 1991. "Food Nutritional Quality: A Pilot Study On Consumer Awareness," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 22(2), pages 1-16, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:jlofdr:27613
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.27613
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Morgan, Karen J & Metzen, Edward J & Johnson, S R, 1979. "An Hedonic Index for Breakfast Cereals," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 6(1), pages 67-75, June.
    2. George W. Ladd & Veraphol Suvannunt, 1976. "A Model of Consumer Goods Characteristics," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 58(3), pages 504-510.
    3. Deborah J. Brown & Lee F. Schrader, 1990. "Cholesterol Information and Shell Egg Consumption," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 72(3), pages 548-555.
    4. John Adrian & Raymond Daniel, 1976. "Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Consumption of Selected Food Nutrients in the United States," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 58(1), pages 31-38.
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    1. Unterschultz, James & Kim, Renee & Quagrainie, Kwamena & Veeman, Michele, 1996. "International Commodity Marketing: South Korean Perceptions of Canadian, U.S., and Australian Beef," Agricultural Commodity Promotion Policies and Programs in the Global Agri-Food System, May 26-27, 1996, Cancun, Mexico 279652, Regional Research Projects > NECC-63: Research Committee on Commodity Promotion.
    2. Schmitz, John D. & Menkhaus, Dale J. & Whipple, Glen D. & Hoffman, Elizabeth & Field, Ray A., 1993. "Impact Of Changing Consumer Preferences On Willingness-To-Pay For Beef Steaks In Alternative Retail Packaging," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 24(2), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Goss, Jody & Holcomb, Rodney B. & Ward, Clement E., 2002. "Factors Influencing Consumer Decisions Related To "Natural" Beef In The Southern Plains," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 33(1), pages 1-12, March.
    4. Dale J. Menkhaus & Damien P. M. Colin & Glen D. Whipple & Ray A. Field, 1993. "The effects of perceived product attributes on the perception of beef," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 9(1), pages 57-63.
    5. Unterschultz, James R. & Quagrainie, Kwamena K. & Veeman, Michele M., 1996. "Consumer Preferences for Biopreservatives in Beef and Pork Packaging and Testing the Importance of Product Origin," Project Report Series 24043, University of Alberta, Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology.

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