Erpeng Wang, Zhifeng Gao and Xuqi Chen
The purpose of this paper is to determine important attributes of processed food, consumers’ trust in different information resources, and the impact of trust, demographic and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine important attributes of processed food, consumers’ trust in different information resources, and the impact of trust, demographic and behavior variables on the preference of processed food attributes among Chinese consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
Data of 1,267 participants were collected from four cities in China. A five-point Likert scale was used to measure consumer preference for 12 juice attributes. Consumer trust in nine sources of information on product quality was measured. Cluster analysis was used to segment consumers into groups based on their preference for juice attributes and trust in information sources, respectively. A multinomial logistic model was used to determine the impact of trust, demographic and behavior variables on the preference of juice attributes.
Findings
Consumers rate manufacture date, taste and food safety labels as the most important attributes of fruit juice products. Among different information sources, consumers place more trust in private information sources and traditional media. The low trust in different information sources impedes consumer preference for processed food quality attributes.
Originality/value
This research is among the few that examine consumer preference for processed food, such as juice. It identifies four distinct preference groups and trust groups, respectively, based on consumer preference for juice attributes and trust in different information sources. This paper provides important information for processed food companies and policymakers to effectively enact marketing strategies in China.
Details
Keywords
Erpeng Wang, Yefan Nian and Zhifeng Gao
This paper aims to identify Chinese consumers’ dish value systems and investigate whether and to what extent their dish values vary by type of consumers.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify Chinese consumers’ dish value systems and investigate whether and to what extent their dish values vary by type of consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
We used a best–worst scaling (BWS) developed based on previous literature on food values and attributes of Chinese dishes to elicit Chinese consumers’ dish value structure. Then, we estimated each participant’s share of preferences for dish values and applied Ward’s linkage cluster analysis to identify the heterogeneity of their dish values.
Findings
Our results indicate that food safety values, including the safety of agricultural products, additives and food processing, are valued most by Chinese consumers. They rate health-nutrition values as the second most important dish values. There is significant heterogeneity in Chinese consumers' dish values. Their dish values tend to drive their dish consumption patterns.
Originality/value
The dish is the mainstay of the Chinese meal. This study is among a few studies that examine Chinese consumers’ dish values that underlie consumer dish preferences and choices. The results provide essential information to promote a healthy and sustainable diet among Chinese consumers by understanding their values and motivations for making dish choices.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to analyze the factors that influence urban consumers' attitudes towards food safety after the melamine scandal.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the factors that influence urban consumers' attitudes towards food safety after the melamine scandal.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the research about the attitudes of urban consumers in Nanjing towards the safety of milk powder after the melamine scandal in 2008, this paper adopts the ordered logit model to test which factors significantly influence consumers' attitudes.
Findings
The findings suggest that: first, there is a common concern among consumers about the safety of milk powder after the melamine scandal; second, according to the research, the concern is in inverse relation to the level of educational attainment, consumers' awareness of food safety incidents and their opinion of governments' action after the incident. Moreover, those who always have a concern about the safety of the alternatives to milk powder are more easily affected.
Originality/value
Different from other researches, the paper focuses on consumers' attitudes towards food safety by studying a specific case, namely the melamine scandal.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this study is to investigate the understanding and application of crime of sabotaging production and operation in internet era, and, at the same time, discuss the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the understanding and application of crime of sabotaging production and operation in internet era, and, at the same time, discuss the basic position for criminal law interpretation in cyberspace.
Design/methodology/approach
Doctrinal analysis and case study.
Findings
Along with the advent of the internet era, how to apply the traditional crime of sabotaging production and operation in virtual space has attracted people’s attention. The controversy caused by the conviction of malicious application of fake transactions is a typical example. The legal interest protected here includes not only the property value of the means of production itself, but also the expectation interest that can be obtained by normal production and operation activities. There is no reliable basis to believe that overlap of articles between special provision and general laws occurs in crime of sabotaging production and operation and crime of intentional damage of property. The production and operation activities carried out online can also be covered by crime of sabotaging production and operation, without doubt. Ejusdem Generis Rule should be fully respected, but crime of sabotaging production and operation has a dual structure of means behavior and purpose behavior, where the purpose behavior, sabotaging production and operation, is the key to the conviction. However, it is not necessarily premised on physical damage and violent characteristics. The understanding and application of traditional crimes should keep pace with the times in the internet era, and we should not stick to a completely rigid subjective interpretation.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates the possible application of crime of sabotaging production and operation in cyberspace, and clarifies many misunderstandings about this crime.