Analysis of green word-of-mouth advertising behavior of organic food consumers.

The word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing process is one of the main means by which consumers obtain information. As a communication channel between consumers in economically developing countries, WOM may contribute to the development of the organic food market. The primary objective of this study is to segment organic saffron consumers in Mashhad, Iran, and determine how they engage in WOM marketing. Data were collected through questionnaires from 13 districts of Mashhad using a stratified sampling method. In this study, 400 organic saffron consumers were grouped using a self-organizing map (SOM) neural network based on consumer neobehavioristic theory, and then, using decision trees, consumer behavior rules were extracted for participating in the WOM for each group. According to the results, less than fifty percent of consumers in each of the four market segments are willing to participate in WOM advertising for organic saffron. A lack of awareness of the characteristics of organic saffron is also found to be the main reason for consumers' reluctance to recommend organic saffron to others. Mass-media advertising is an effective way to raise consumer awareness and influence opinion leaders, ultimately resulting in WOM recommendations.

Consumption of Genetically Modified Food Products and Its Determinants (Case Study: Edible Oil in Mashhad).

In recent decades, the global increase in the demand for food and the increasing growth of the world population has caused an inevitable transition from traditional to advanced agriculture and the use of new technologies in the production of food and agricultural products. One of the new achievements of biotechnology is the production and use of genetically modified plants. The benefits of genetically modified crops can be seen well beyond the farm as well, from helping to conserve natural resources to fighting climate change. Identifying the factors that influence people's acceptance of genetically modified (GM) foods can inform industries and policymakers regarding their innovation trajectories, as well as policy development and implementation. Therefore, the current research evaluates the effect of the marketing mix and other effective factors on the consumption of genetically modified (GM) edible oil in Mashhad, Iran. The required information was collected by completing 390 questionnaires and using the available sampling method in 2022. Factors affecting the probability of consumers making a decision to consume GM edible oil and the consumption amounts of this oil were analyzed through Heckman's two-stage Tobit model using the STATA 16 software package. The results showed that factors affecting the intention of consuming GM edible oils are different from factors affecting the amount of consumption of GM edible oils. Moreover, selected marketing mixes have a significant effect on the amount of consumption of GM edible oils, and therefore, policy-makers can influence the consumption of GM edible oils by using marketing tools. The effect of household monthly income on the consumption of GM edible oil is also negative and significant, which shows that households with higher incomes have less consumption of GM edible oils. Based on the results, trust in the government has a positive and significant effect on the consumption of GM edible oil, so when consumers have trust in their government about GM food products, the consumption of GM edible oil will increase. Therefore, it is suggested that the country's food security authorities gain the trust of consumers by clarifying the production process of GM products and holding scientific debates between the proponents and opponents of the production and consumption of GM food products in order to express the advantages and disadvantages of these products to inform consumers and help them choose between products.

Antibiotic-Free Poultry Meat Consumption and Its Determinants.

In recent decades, meat consumption has increased globally due to increased incomes. A consequence of increased red meat consumption has been the rise in greenhouse gas emissions and nutrition-related diseases. Consumption of antibiotic-free (ABF) poultry meat is a viable healthy and sustainable substitute that will cause less damage to humans and the environment in the long run. This study was undertaken due to the increasing importance of healthy food consumption to preventing nutrition-related diseases. The health food industry is still in its preliminary stages; for market development of organic broiler meat and movement toward sustainable production of ABF meat, the first necessary step is conducting empirical research on ABF poultry meat consumption and identifying factors that influence household consumption patterns of ABF poultry meat. Therefore, the objectives of this study were the investigation of factors affecting poultry meat consumption by consumers and ABF poultry meat preference. Comparing the results could reveal what percentage of consumers are able to buy healthier higher-priced antibiotic-free poultry meat. Data were collected from 360 completed questionnaires completed by households from the city of Mashhad, Iran via simple random sampling in 2021. To investigate the first objective, an ordered logit model was used. The results showed that age, the head of household's education, awareness of the nutritional benefits of poultry meat, advertising, and family income were statistically significant determinants of poultry meat consumption. To investigate the second objective, since some consumers cannot buy ABF poultry meat due to the higher prices, we used a two-step Heckman model. The results showed that the awareness of the nutritional benefits of ABF poultry meat, the head of household's education, monthly family income, and advertising had positive impacts, with prices having a negative impact on the amount of antibiotic-free poultry meat consumed by the households. Comparing the results of the two models revealed that only about 30% of consumers could buy ABF poultry meat, mainly due to the higher prices. This study recommends improving consumer awareness, targeted distribution of ABF poultry meat according to customers' economic and demographic characteristics, affordable prices, and appropriate marketing tools for sustainable consumption of ABF poultry meat.

A choice experiment on consumer perceptions of three generations of genetically modified foods.

Genetically modified (GM) foods remain a contentious issue worldwide, yet consumer preferences in this field have received too little attention in the academic research. The present paper helps fill this gap by investigating the hypothetical consumer behaviour towards and willingness to pay (WTP) for a specific type of GM food (of the first, second or third generation) using a choice experiment with 1444 respondents from three European cities. A random parameter logit-error component (RPL-EC) model allows for heterogeneity in consumer preferences and potential correlation across utilities and across taste parameters. The results show that consumers seem to attach utility to GM foods insofar as they perceive that generational traits improve their nutritional qualities or bring health benefits. Moreover, the role played by education in improving people's understanding of the issues associated with GM foods provides insights to assist marketers in developing differentiated strategies. Marketers would be able to help consumers dampen the effect of fear and allow them to develop more informed opinions, which, however, do not necessarily translate into purchasing behaviour.

Nutraceuticals: Some remarks by a choice experiment on food, health and new technologies.

Nowadays people are increasingly interested in health foods, which are foods considered beneficial to well-being in ways that go beyond a normal healthy diet required for human nutrition. This study aims at providing a better understanding of the main factors leading to the purchase of a relatively new category of technological foods, namely nutraceuticals. Based on data collected on a sample of Italian families through a cross-sectional survey, which included choice experiment questions and socio-demographic characteristics, two specifications of discrete choice models allowed us to formalise the behavioural response linked to that purchase and to preference heterogeneity across consumers, and the willingness to pay for these products. Findings show that not all nutraceutical features are equally important in shaping consumers' preferences for health-oriented foods. The role played by formal education in describing the behavioural response towards nutraceuticals and the significant preference heterogeneity across consumers in relation to specific nutraceutical features provide interesting insights to assist researchers and marketers in developing more market-oriented functional foods that gain consumer acceptance.

Socially responsible food behavior: Perspectives from empirical evaluations.

The present research aimed to study the consumption of socially responsible food consumption products in order to identify the elements on which European companies must base their success strategies in the next future. This research suggests both information about this particular kind of consumption and factors that determine their purchase through statistical techniques for testing and estimating causal relations, using data derived from carried out sample survey. Above all, the factor analysis and the cluster analysis are used for the aim of the study. The proposed study shows that socially responsible consumption is especially linked to knowledge and impact on socio-environmental context. Moreover, it was possible to identify three kinds of consumer under investigation: the agree one (41% of the sample), with highest level of perceived expectation about salubrity and willingness to pay; the half-agree one (13%), with lowest level of knowledge on socio-environmental policies but highest level of satisfaction; the disagree one (46%), with negative relationship with all of the factors, particularly with salubrity. The research considers a topic not addressed in details; moreover, it is also based on own previous research and is its natural continuation and deepening, but also important for future researches.

Genetically modified food versus knowledge and fear: A Noumenic approach for consumer behaviour.

The theme of genetically modified organisms is very important for modern consumers, especially when they approach novel foods. In this paper, we have attempted to assess the impact of genetically modified foods on the consumers' preferences, considering a new vision of ours: however, the conclusions also form a topic for further discussion. We conducted an investigation on a sample size survey. The analysis was carried out in a representative sample of more than 900 Italian families, selected based on a functional relationship to the objectives of the work. The aims of the present study were: firstly, investigating consumers' preferences regarding genetically modified food consumption and developing a quantitative model to formalize the origins of behaviours regarding consumers' preferences toward genetically modified food consumption; secondly, detecting the drivers of their purchase, underlining that only by reasoning it is possible to ensure that specific variables do not condition purchasing behaviour.

Genetically Modified Foods and Consumer Perspective.

Genetically modified food is able to oppose the world's hunger and preserve the environment, even if the patents in this matter are symptomatic of several doubts. And also, transgenic consumption causes problems and skepticism among consumers in several European countries, but above all in Italy, where there is a strong opposition over recent years. So, the present study conducted a research to study the consumption of genetically modified food products by Italian young generation. This research presented the following purposes: firstly, to analyze genetically modified products' consumption among a particular category of consumers; secondly, to implement a quantitative model to understand behaviour about this particular kind of consumption and identify the factors that determine their purchase. The proposed model shows that transgenic consumption is especially linked to knowledge and impact on environment and mankind's health.