Ha Thi Mai Vo, Monika Hartmann and Nina Langen
The purpose of this paper is to obtain insights into Vietnamese consumers’ knowledge and relevance of as well as their reaction to modern food retailers (MFRs) responsible and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to obtain insights into Vietnamese consumers’ knowledge and relevance of as well as their reaction to modern food retailers (MFRs) responsible and irresponsible conduct.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained from an online survey applying content analysis, uni- and multivariate tests and multivariate regression models.
Findings
In total, 60 percent of respondents are not aware of (ir)responsible conduct of MFR. Most of those aware of such behavior indicate that this has induced a change in their shopping behavior. This holds to a similar extent for those not aware but envisaging the (ir)responsible conduct of MFRs. The findings point to a negativity bias in that consumers’ reaction is more sensitive regarding irresponsible than responsible firm behavior. This bias is higher for consumers already knowledgeable about the (ir)responsible behavior of MFRs. The likelihood that consumers punish irresponsible conduct is influenced by the importance they attach to “food quality and safety” while those having high concerns for environmental, social and ethical’ issues are more likely to reward responsible firm actions.
Research limitations/implications
The negativity bias which implies that consumers react more sensitive regarding irresponsible than responsible firm behavior is likely underestimated in hypothetical studies.
Practical implications
Customer loyalty is at stake for MFRs behaving irresponsible while it can be strengthened by responsible firm conduct.
Originality/value
This research is the first to highlight the importance consumers in Vietnam attach to responsible firm conduct. It also points to a lack of awareness of such behavior.
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Bettina Anne-Sophie Lorenz, Nina Langen, Monika Hartmann and Jeanette Klink-Lehmann
The purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding about the determinants of consumer food leftovers in out-of-home settings by taking a decomposed perspective on attitudes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding about the determinants of consumer food leftovers in out-of-home settings by taking a decomposed perspective on attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
Data on 307 guests in a university canteen composing of stated measures for 12 beliefs, general attitude and behavioral intention and of visually estimated food leftovers are analyzed using exploratory factor and path analyses.
Findings
A factor analysis for belief statements derives three distinctive and potentially conflicting attitude dimensions: “Environment,” “Self-Interest” and “Resources.” Path analyses on their interrelation with general attitude, intention and behavior indicate that the dimensions have distinctive effects. Moreover, “Self-Interest” in contrast to the other two dimensions is correlated with situational perceptions about portion size and taste when these are included as direct determinants of leftovers.
Research limitations/implications
It is recommended to consider different dimensions of attitude when addressing food leftover behavior since these dimensions may not be well represented in a classical summary construct and since their relevance may differ depending on situational factors. Additional research is recommended to validate the results for more representative samples of consumers and to elaborate on the interaction of different attitude dimensions as potential source of attitude ambivalence which cannot clearly be determined from the existing data.
Originality/value
Past research on consumer food waste behavior models attitudes exclusively as a summary construct. This contradicts qualitative findings that individuals may hold conflicting beliefs about food leftovers.
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Nina Langen and Lucie Adenaeuer
An important characteristic of Fair Trade products is that a fair price is paid to the producer. At the same time the Fair Trade system is accused of being inefficient with…
Abstract
Purpose
An important characteristic of Fair Trade products is that a fair price is paid to the producer. At the same time the Fair Trade system is accused of being inefficient with respect to the distribution of the price premium paid by consumers along the supply chain. This study aims to focus in particular on consumers' perceptions of fair pricing. Besides, the paper seeks to assess the extent to which consumers' expectations are somehow anchored in or in accordance with reality in Germany in 2007.
Design/methodology/approach
To get insights into German consumers' perception of Fair Trade a consumer survey based on face-to-face interviews with n=484 participants was conducted in 2008. To approach the profit distribution along the Fair Trade coffee chain a web-based market investigation was performed.
Findings
One important result is that most of the consumers actually narrow Fair Trade down to the issue of paying fair prices to farmers. The comparison of the efficiency of the Fair Trade system that is requested by the study participants (measured as the share of an additional euro paid for a Fair Trade product) and the point of sale calculations (revealing the percentage of the retail price going to the producer) indicates that for 60 percent of the respondents a calculated share of 50 percent reaching the producer would not be high enough. Results reveal that 10 percent of the respondents require a minimum share of 90 percent of the retail price to reach the producer. A total of 23 percent are satisfied with 80 percent; 60 percent of the respondents want that more than 50 percent of an additional euro spent reaches the producer. Only 4 percent of the participants are willing to accept an efficiency of less than 20 percent.
Originality/value
This is the first paper not only investigating how much of the price premium paid by consumers reaches the Fair Trade producers but also delivering insights regarding how much of the price premium paid in the retail store for Fair Trade coffee consumers do request to reach the Fair Trade producer.
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Heike Klöckner, Nina Langen and Monika Hartmann
Country of Origin (COO) labeling has been shown in several studies to be an important extrinsic cue for consumers in their quality evaluation of food products such as olive oil…
Abstract
Purpose
Country of Origin (COO) labeling has been shown in several studies to be an important extrinsic cue for consumers in their quality evaluation of food products such as olive oil, wine or tea. COO has not been discussed in the context of pepper; however pepper's quality highly depends on the heritage. This paper aims to explore this aspect.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted in an organic grocery store in Bonn, Germany. The first part of the face to face interviews at the point‐of‐sale were carried out for understanding consumers' attitudes towards different extrinsic quality cues. The second part covered the product‐country‐image of pepper as well as consumers' knowledge regarding COO and pepper quality. Third, the contingent valuation method is used to analyze organic consumers' willingness to pay (WTP). Fourth a blind‐tasting of black pepper from different origins and production methods was conducted.
Findings
The study reveals that organic consumers are able to experience taste differences due to COO though only a minority expects those taste differences. Thus, also concerned and involved consumers are not sufficiently informed on COO information to rely on their purchase decision of pepper. As a result consumers are not willing to pay a significant higher price for COO labeled pepper.
Originality/value
This study is the first which combines face‐to‐face interviews regarding attitudes, image and knowledge with a blind tasting of pepper and an investigation of consumers' WTP for pepper from different origins and processing characteristics.