Search

Over the past 50 years, consumer researchers have presented extensive evidence that consumer preference can be swayed by the decision context, particularly the configuration of the choice set. Importantly, behavioral research on context effects has inspired prominent quantitative research on multialternative decision-making published in leading psychology, management, economics, and general interest journals. While both streams of research seem to agree that context effects are an important research area, there has been relatively limited interaction, communication, and collaboration between the two research camps. In this article, we seek to initiate an active dialogue between the two sides. We begin by providing a critical overview of the two literatures on context effects, discussing both their strengths and weaknesses, as well as disparities and complementarities. Here, we place particular emphasis on deepening consumer researchers' understanding of context effects by drawing on prominent quantitative research published in non-marketing journals over the last decades. Importantly, we provide a roadmap for the future that can inspire further research and potential collaborations between the two camps, overcoming silos in knowledge creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing Italian consumers' choice of biodegradable and compostable packaging by using a hybrid framework that integrates the theory of planned behaviour with a discrete choice experiment. By analysing the interplay between internal and external factors and rational consumer evaluations, the research clarifies that consumers' choices can be explained by a combination of economic and psychological models, offering a more accurate representation of the driving forces behind consumer decisions. Applying latent class analysis, we identify consumer segments based on packaging preferences for packaged salad, knowledge of waste disposal rules and the psychological characteristics of a statistically representative sample of Italian consumers. The integration of a comprehensive behavioural model allows for the identification of psychological determinants that influence consumer behaviour, outlining detailed profiles of both early adopters and those most opposed to this technology. This research contributes to the literature on sustainable packaging and offers insights to marketers and policymakers for promoting the adoption of sustainable packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer choice models used in optimal product design typically ignore potential context effects by assuming the utility of each product is independent of the attributes of other products in the choice set. We characterize implications of context effects for profit-maximizing designs by deriving the first-order conditions of the design problem under alternative utility formulations, and we propose a utility function that incorporates context effects and has well-defined optimal design solutions for all products in the choice set. We then conduct a discrete choice survey experiment of automobile options and find statistically significant context-effect parameters and superior out-of-sample prediction when context-effect parameters are used in both logit and mixed logit models. These results suggest that context effects can be important in engineering design contexts and have the potential to affect optimal design differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing that the waste of imperfect produce contributes to the global environmental crisis, the authors conduct three studies examining whether retailers can use anthropomorphizing marketing techniques to make irregular‐appearing produce more attractive and increase purchase intentions. Based on the exemplar model theory, Study 1 shows that when retailers place googly eyes on pictures of irregular‐appearing produce, consumers judge the product according to multiple exemplars as they do when they evaluate humans. The multiple esthetic cues cause them to perceive irregular produce as more attractive. Study 2 replicates Study 1 by using human names as the anthropomorphic cues, demonstrating that anthropomorphism can increase purchase intentions toward irregular‐appearing produce. Study 3 further shows that the anthropomorphism effects hold for irregular‐appearing produce from corporate farms and not from local farms. The differences occur because consumers expect corporate farms to conform to standardized esthetic norms but expect local farms to market irregular‐appearing produce. When expectations are aligned, anthropomorphism is more likely to cause consumers to diversify esthetic cues, but not when expectations are disassociated. The article concludes with suggestions for promotion strategies that use anthropomorphizing to change attitudes and increase purchase intentions toward irregular‐appearing produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Credibly representing category-of-goods mental accounting in an intertemporal optimisation framework is notoriously difficult, as this modelling approach imposes interrelations between the demand for different categories through first-order conditions. This breaks the principle of nonfungibility, contrary to the rationale of mental-accounting theory. Proofs that using intertemporal optimisation is futile in modelling this kind of behaviour are provided, and an alternative is developed: a procedural-behavioural merger of mental accounting and categorisation theories. The merger is necessary to enhance mental-accounting theory, which by itself does not inform about how mental budgets are formed, what they include and how money is spent from various accounts. A classification of six basic consumer types was devised, basing on the differences between their mental-accounting systems and variations of changes of expenditure in response to fluctuations of net disposable income and other possible stimuli. Representing the consumer problem as a behavioural procedure including spending on nondurable and frequently-bought durable goods as well as decisions whether or not to purchase very expensive durable goods, such as houses and flats, allows to model real-world features such as infrequent purchases and rare debt-taking. The devised working-life cycle models of consumer behaviour are consistent with microeconomic evidence on consumption, including those features that are not accounted for by various versions of the permanent income or buffer-stock models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing a unique approach to household utility maximization, this paper explores the implications of vehicle carbon taxation and subsidies in the context of household choice for urban transportation mode where there exist two private characteristics of travel: comfort and time efficiency, and a third public negative characteristic, carbon emissions. Two policies to reduce carbon emissions are examined in this framework; (1) subsidizing public transportation and imposing a tax on vehicle emissions, (2) increasing the cost of private vehicle travel, and providing a rebate of the tax collected to the consumer. The results suggest that the latter policy may have little impact on carbon emissions and could possibly lead to an increase in emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is controversial whether consumption can constitute genuine, existential meaning for the individual. Building on philosophical explorations of subjective meaning, this study suggests a dynamic relationship between existential and teleological consumption. On the one hand, consumers demonstrate deep-level engagement with entities in the marketing eco-system (such as brand narratives and certain service encounters) to explore their own potentiality and develop an authentic vision of the good life. This is existential consumption. On the other, consumers adopt teleological modes of consumption where products and services are used more instrumentally to enact their vision of the good life. It is proposed that consumer choice is existentially meaningful insofar as it is conducive to the development or realisation of the individual vision of the good life. The theory and its implications are discussed in the context of recent deterministic and pessimistic/nihilistic challenges to marketing theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issues of green marketing, its impact on consumer behaviour, and the evolution of retail chains’ private labels (PLs) are well-covered in scientific literature. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research addressing the interconnection of these three aspects. The paper explores the factors affecting consumer decisions to purchase green private labels and identifies what product attributes Russian consumers associate with being green, i.e., safe for both the consumer and the environment at all stages of production, sales and disposal. The methodological basis of the study resides in relationship marketing theory, consumer choice theory, value perception theory and the concept of sustainable development. The data for the empirical study were obtained from in-depth expert interviews with retail chains’ representatives and respondents’ survey. The data were processed using correlation and regression analysis, as well as content analysis. The research results indicate that the price of private labels is not the sole factor in consumer choice: it is influenced by both socio-demographic characteristics of respondents and additional properties of PLs, including a set of green attributes, informative packaging, social orientation of private labels, etc. The findings of the study are valuable for planning marketing campaigns to promote PLs of retail chains.

In recent years, developments in the automotive sector have impacted consumer preferences in transportation, creating more options for consumer needs in this area. Changing consumer needs raises a number of complex issues, such as how automotive companies should develop their products and what actions should be taken to ensure that their brands are popular with consumers and increase their loyalty. It is necessary to investigate the preferences of consumers regarding electric cars, which are expected to be among the types of vehicles that will become increasingly popular in the near future in terms of efficiency and utility. The aim of this study is to investigate consumers' purchasing processes, to determine the preferred brands and car features in this process and to determine consumers' expectations of new car models. At the same time, this study aimed to assess car users' perspectives on electric vehicles and examine participants' preferences for traditional fuel types such as gasoline, diesel and LPG, as well as electric and hybrid vehicles. The study used a questionnaire to collect data from customers of an automotive company to identify the factors that influence consumer preferences in the automotive sector. As part of the study, a 16-question questionnaire was randomly distributed to 405 respondents. In analysing the data, descriptive statistics were used to determine the demographic characteristics of the participants, chi-square tests were used to examine the relationships between demographic characteristics and factors influencing consumers' purchasing decisions, and multidimensional preference analysis methods were used to determine the most important and most preferred characteristics of customers when purchasing. The multidimensional preference analysis method, a multivariate statistical method, provides valuable information about the factors that determine consumers' preferences and decisions. Multidimensional preference analysis provides companies with an important perspective on both competition and the identification of gaps in the market. According to the results of the data analysis, participants indicated that a new generation car should have low fuel consumption and a good safety system. While the environmental friendliness of electric vehicles and the increase in diesel and gasoline prices were the main reasons for their preference, the reasons for nonpreference were problems with recharging.

This study explored the impact of various label information (extrinsic attributes) and sociodemographic and attitudinal factors (intrinsic attributes) on Brazilian consumer choices, using simulated traditional and plant-based muçarela cheese as the model product. The research was conducted in two phases: the first involved a structured questionnaire assessing attitudinal dimensions such as Health Consciousness, Climate Change, Plant-based Diets, and Food Neophobia, along with sociodemographic data collection. The second phase comprised a discrete choice experiment with (n = 52) and without (n = 509) eye tracking. The term "Cheese" on labels increased choice probability by 7.6% in a general survey and 15.1% in an eye tracking study. A prolonged gaze at "Cheese" did not affect choice, while more views of "Plant-based product" slightly raised choice likelihood by 2.5%. Repeatedly revisiting these terms reduced the choice probability by 3.7% for "Cheese" and 1% for "Plant-based product". Nutritional claims like "Source of Vitamins B6 and B12" and "Source of Proteins and Calcium" boosted choice probabilities by 4.97% and 5.69% in the general and 8.4% and 6.9% in the eye-tracking experiment, respectively. Conversely, front-of-package labeling indicating high undesirable nutrient content decreased choice by 13% for magnifying presentations and 15.6% for text. In a plant-based subsample, higher environmental concerns and openness to plant-based diets increased choice probabilities by 5.31% and 5.1%, respectively. These results highlight the complex dynamics between label information, consumer understanding, and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric vehicles (EVs) represent a new consumer choice option with regard to vehicle purchases. Men, in general, report being interested in purchasing EVs, but traditional masculinity ideology, and in particular masculinity contingency, may be linked to negative attitudes toward EVs and reluctance to purchase EVs. Using data from 400 U.S. cisgender men, this study examined the links between masculinity contingency, EV-attitudes, EV-purchase intention, and viewing EVs as the least-favorable option for a new vehicle purchase. Consistent with hypotheses, masculinity contingency was linked with less favorable attitudes about EVs, lower intention to purchase EVs, and higher likelihood of rating EVs as the least-preferred new vehicle purchase option. The results are discussed in terms of applying masculinities theories to consumer and market research, and in terms of clinical work with men. Public Significance Statement: The study indicates that masculinity contingency, or the degree to which one's self-worth is threatened by threats to masculinity, is linked to decreased consumer preference for electric vehicles. This study highlights the importance of masculinity in understanding consumer choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choice preferences for the compromise option are one common way to make decisions which has received a great deal of research attention to seek a richer understanding of consumers' product choices. Prior research has focused on investigating the various factors underlying the compromise choice. Given that the literature on cognitive style provides considerable evidence of how a holistic‐analytic thinking style influences consumers' decision‐making processes, this article applies an individual‐differences perspective to examine the influence of consumers' situationally activated styles of thinking on their choice of compromise option. We conduct two separate experimental studies in Korea and in France, as representatives of holistic‐and analytic‐thinking culture, respectively, and identify whether priming consumers to think either holistically or analytically induces the shift in their thinking tendencies and consequently in their choice behavior. The results demonstrate a significant interaction between consumers' culture and the priming condition; French consumers have a greater tendency to select compromise option in holistic‐prime condition, while Korean consumers have a lower tendency to select compromise option in analytic‐prime condition. Contributing to literature not only on compromise choice, but also on priming effects of thinking style, the findings provide useful managerial insights into implementing effective global strategies for compromise‐option product ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging the food industry to reformulate their products is a possible public intervention to improve diet quality. In this paper, we assess the impact of food reformulation on per capita salt and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) intake, in France, for four product categories, namely, potato chips, fresh pizzas, frozen pizzas, and frozen meals, taking into account the changes in products' nutritional quality and consumer choices. Nutrient intake is calculated by matching data on food purchases and nutritional data, collected at the same date. An algorithm is run to disentangle the specific effect of food reformulation. We find that food reformulation, which is based on voluntary individual firm choices or voluntary industry‐wide agreement in our case studies, contributes to decrease SFAs and salt intake in seven out of eight cases. However, the magnitude of the impact is moderate, except in the case of potato chips for which a much stronger impact is observed. Product renewal has an ambiguous effect, depending on the nutrient considered. By contrast, changes in consumer behavior increase the intake of SFAs and salt in all cases. Finally, food reformulation generally benefits all consumers equally, regardless of income or age. For food categories with consumption disparities, product reformulation can reduce heterogeneity in nutrient intake across socioeconomic groups, provided that recipes are greatly and widely improved [EconLit Citations: D12, D22, I1]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the implicit and explicit health–taste tradeoffs that consumers make in response to sugar‐reduction claims on chocolate cereals. We collect implicit measures through an Implicit Association Test, explicit perceptions of health and taste properties, and statements regarding product liking and purchase intention through a questionnaire. Based on a path analysis, we assess the relative strength of the indirect effects of sugar‐reduction claims mediated by health and taste perceptions, as well as the direct effects on purchase intention. The results indicate that sugar‐reduction claims decrease taste perceptions, increase health perceptions, and have only minor negative effects on product liking, but increase purchase intentions. Most participants show an implicit "unhealthy = tasty" intuition, which can be offset by moderate to high health consciousness. The implications for marketing and policymakers are twofold. First, our study shows that sugar‐reduction claims are effective in addressing the original target group of health‐conscious consumers. Second, our results suggest that the health–taste tradeoff is not prohibitively detrimental to purchase intentions among less health‐conscious consumers. Potential instruments to increase the market share in this segment are discussed [EconLit Citations: I18, D12, D83]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research shows that having numerous options can be overwhelming. Health economists have also demonstrated that individuals regularly fail to choose health insurance plans that minimize out‐of‐pocket costs or maximize expected utility. These failures are commonly attributed to choice overload, among other explanations. However, less has been written on how well people make choices when faced with only two options, particularly in the health insurance industry. In this article, we seek to add to this discussion by utilizing a proprietary database to analyze how well people choose between only two health insurance plans that are very similar in structure. Our findings indicate that many individuals still fail to choose health insurance plans that minimize out‐of‐pocket costs or maximize expected utility, even with this small and relatively simple choice set. This suggests that more research on nonstandard preferences, low insurance competence, consumer search tools, and smart defaults is needed to better understand the decision‐making process of health‐insurance consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate how environmentalism in photovoltaic (PV) substitution and nationalism in PV rivalry with the USA are associated with the trade-offs made by young consumers in Lanzhou when selecting Chinese brand portable solar power banks. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, the choice-based conjoint survey was conducted to investigate mobile power bank consumers aged 18–28 in Lanzhou urban districts. A total of 2,004 valid questionnaires were collected and 1,813 sample was used in analyses. Logit and ordinary least squares regression models were run for empirical analyses. Findings: The research results show that consumers tend to sacrifice certain levels of affordability for moderate technological capability, a reputable brand, better portability and advanced charging functions or sacrifice certain levels of technological capabilities for a moderate price. Consumers with stronger environmentalism in PV substitution tend to prioritize median price levels, larger battery capacity and better portability, while being less sensitive to brand and showing less preference for advanced charging functions. Consumers with stronger nationalism in PV rivalry tend to prioritize reasonably higher prices, bigger brands, enhanced portability, more solar panels and advanced charging functions. Practical implications: This research sheds light on consumer trade-offs between price, brand, portability, technological capability and charging function. It also explores how environmentalism and nationalism sentiments are associated with consumer decision-making. These insights carry valuable policy implications for fostering product innovation, supporting brand-building initiatives for small and medium-size enterprises, promoting market competition and preventing the weaponization of consumer nationalism. Originality/value: As an emerging solar power product, the portable solar power bank holds significant potential for widespread adoption as a means to drive energy transition. Within the current context, two notable sentiments have surfaced: environmentalism, which pertains to the adoption of PV technology as a substitute for conventional energy sources and nationalism, which manifests in the PV rivalry between China and the USA. This research aims to investigate consumer preference related to this emerging product, specifically focusing on its relationship with these two sentiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of empirical evidence suggests the existence of a Paradox of Choice, whereby a larger choice set leads to a lower expected payoff to the decisionmaker. These empirical findings contradict traditional choice-theoretic results in microeconomics and even social psychology, suggesting profound yet unexplained aspects of choice settings/behavior. The Paradox remains largely as a theoretically-rootless empirical phenomenon. We neither understand the mechanisms and conditions that generate it, nor whether the Paradox stems from choice behavior, choice setting, or both. We present a general search model of consumer choice under incomplete information to examine the theoretical existence and conditions for the Paradox. The model departs from traditional microeconomic choice theory in assuming no "cognitive free lunches." Search and evaluative efforts require time, focus, and opportunity cost in the model, as in real life. The model shows that conditions for Paradox readily exist, diminishing returns to potential value of the choice in choice set size is a necessary condition for a Paradox outcome, that a Paradox outcome can occur with or without a "choice overload" response by the decisionmaker, and that avoidance of a Paradox outcome is an impossibility in some choice settings (primitive to setting regardless of choice behavior). Lastly, we develop a pareto-improving choice set reduction algorithm that eliminates weakly dominated choice set elements and presents the restricted choice set to the decisionmaker. As such, it is shown that the algorithm acts to treat or mitigate the Paradox of Choice, as well as to pareto-improve choice-supporting evaluation more generally. Like established AI recommender systems, the novel algorithm filters choices. In the present case, the filtering is based upon identification of weakly dominated choice set elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that individuals do not always make rational decisions when selecting their health insurance, for example, due to the existence of information frictions or mental gaps. We study the effect of specific types of information provision for decision support on health plan choices and test their potential to improve decision quality by implementing a randomized laboratory experiment. We provide personalized and generic aids, differentiate between numerical and visual decision support, and provide one or two optional formats of personalized information. We find that generic aids have no effect on health plan choices while personalized information leads to better choices as measured by several indicators of decision quality. The largest effects were observed for those who "opted in" to visualize personalized information, with immediate and lasting improvements in health insurance decisions. By reducing information frictions, our results suggest that accessible and easy-to-use tools can positively impact health insurance navigation, improve decision-making, and reduce switching costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To justify the production of green products, it is necessary to anticipate the choice of consumers toward products with different environmental friendliness. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the factors that determine this choice, particularly value factors. The study is based on the idea that a consumer is stimulated to eco-consumption by a set of values, not excluding individualist values; and the influence of values is mediated by motives. The purpose of the study is to develop the theoretical foundations of constructing a three-level system of value factors of green consumption on the example of office paper consumption. As a result, the study formed a system of factors containing preferences, motives, and values of office paper consumers. According to the proposed approach, for each respondent, quantitative characteristics of the elements of the system of factors were determined through a survey, which made it possible to identify correlation relationships between the elements. A pilot study was used to test the proposed approach to constructing a value factors system. The results of the pilot survey showed a positive connection between eco-friendliness of consumer preferences – through motives – with such values as “Nature,” “Self-development,” “Country success,” and “Social power.” This finding provides additional justification for the assumption that individuals are driven to green consumption not only by socially oriented values but also by individualistic values. Identifying the value factors of green consumption will allow predicting consumer behavior and influencing it through targeted marketing offers.

In recent years, developments in the automotive sector have impacted consumer preferences in transportation, creating more options for consumer needs in this area. Changing consumer needs raises a number of complex issues, such as how automotive companies should develop their products and what actions should be taken to ensure that their brands are popular with consumers and increase their loyalty. It is necessary to investigate the preferences of consumers regarding electric cars, which are expected to be among the types of vehicles that will become increasingly popular in the near future in terms of efficiency and utility. The aim of this study is to investigate consumers' purchasing processes, to determine the preferred brands and car features in this process and to determine consumers' expectations of new car models. At the same time, this study aimed to assess car users' perspectives on electric vehicles and examine participants' preferences for traditional fuel types such as gasoline, diesel and LPG, as well as electric and hybrid vehicles. The study used a questionnaire to collect data from customers of an automotive company to identify the factors that influence consumer preferences in the automotive sector. As part of the study, a 16-question questionnaire was randomly distributed to 405 respondents. In analysing the data, descriptive statistics were used to determine the demographic characteristics of the participants, chi-square tests were used to examine the relationships between demographic characteristics and factors influencing consumers' purchasing decisions, and multidimensional preference analysis methods were used to determine the most important and most preferred characteristics of customers when purchasing. The multidimensional preference analysis method, a multivariate statistical method, provides valuable information about the factors that determine consumers' preferences and decisions. Multidimensional preference analysis provides companies with an important perspective on both competition and the identification of gaps in the market. According to the results of the data analysis, participants indicated that a new generation car should have low fuel consumption and a good safety system. While the environmental friendliness of electric vehicles and the increase in diesel and gasoline prices were the main reasons for their preference, the reasons for nonpreference were problems with recharging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws from data collected from 500+ surveys, distributed twice from the same respondents (2020 and 2021), and forty-five face-to-face interviews (2022). The location studied is a metropolitan county in Colorado (USA). The research examined the discourses and practices having to do with organic and natural food consumption—note, too, the data were collected at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings upend conventional understandings of, and frameworks used to explain, consumer behavior. What are often presented as motivations in prior studies are shown, instead, to be justifications; rationalizations after-the-fact. The paper troubles decision-making frameworks that cast motivations, attitudes, and intentions as "antecedents" to consumer behavior. Rather, the findings point to the significance of social networks, and in particular network diversity, for understanding and explaining the sayings (discourses) and doings (practices) of "individual" consumers. Discourses linked to health are also shown to be salient variables, though when situated within social networks those discourses are shown to have politics. Particular attention is devoted to explaining dietary shifts among those who reported the largest increases in the consumption of organic and natural foods between 2020 and 2021/22. The paper concludes discussing what the data mean from the standpoint of envisioning just and inclusive food system futures and agrifood policy that delivers on those ends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across a series of 10 laboratory and online studies, Allard, Hardisty, and Griffin (2019) demonstrated an increased preference for premium, higher-priced products over standard products when consumers were presented with the additional cost of the higher-priced option (i.e., differential price framing; e.g., "for $20 more") rather than with its total price (i.e., inclusive price framing; e.g., "for $60 total"); a phenomenon referred to as the differential price framing effect. In this paper, we conceptually replicate this effect in a field experiment that focuses on the application of a differential price framing strategy to a specific product format; namely, multipacks of identical products. Consistent with the differential price framing effect, the present study shows—based on 45,626 add-to-cart events and 30,426 completed product purchases on an online retailer's website—that the choice shares of higher-priced options increase when a differential price framing strategy is used. However, compared to non-consequential add-to-cart activities, this bias is considerably less pronounced in actual purchase patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that hungry individuals are more impulsive, impatient, and prone to make indulgent food choices compared to their satiated counterparts. However, the literature is still mixed, with some studies showing such results while others fail to demonstrate hunger effects on consumers’ choice behavior. The current cross-sectional study (N = 461) sought to address these inconsistencies by examining whether the link between hunger and people’s propensity to make indulgent (vs. virtuous) food choices is moderated by their healthy eating concerns. Our findings revealed a weak but significant association between participants’ self-reported hunger levels and their likelihood of making indulgent rather than virtuous food choices (e.g., preferring a chocolate cake instead of a fruit salad). Importantly, this effect was moderated by their healthy eating concerns, such that the link between hunger and choice likelihood of indulgent food options only emerged among participants who scored lower, but not higher, in healthy eating concerns. We also replicated these results in a robustness check that focused on the extent to which participants indicated having a healthy lifestyle (e.g., exercising regularly), with a similar moderating influence of this factor. Together, these findings shed light on the importance of considering certain boundary conditions for establishing a link between hunger and consumers’ food choices, thus adding nuance to the growing body of hunger-related literature. The results emphasize the importance of ensuring the availability of healthier snack options in environments wherein foods and beverages can be consumed, particularly at times when consumers tend to be hungry, to promote healthier eating habits.

The content of polyphenols and metal elements in tea has an important impact on the choice of consumers. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of ten elements including Fe, Mg, Al, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Cr, Pb, and As in 122 representative tea samples from 20 provinces. The results showed that the difference of metal content among six tea categories was greater than that among provinces, and the overall metal content of black tea was relatively higher. The contents of all elements from high to low were: Mg > Mn > Al > Fe > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cr > Pb > As. The contents of Ni, Fe, Al, Zn and Mn showed significant differences among multiple types of tea categories. While the detection rates of Pb and As were 10.7 and 24.6%, respectively. The contents of all elements were in line with the national limit standards. Meanwhile, the relative contents of theanine, caffeine and a total of 53 polyphenolic compounds in 122 tea samples were detected. The analysis showed that the content of these compounds differed least between green and yellow tea, and the largest difference between black tea and oolong tea. This study provides important support for consumers to choose tea rationally.

With the South Asian economy swiftly integrating into global markets, the restaurant industry in India and Bangladesh has thrived, providing a wide range of global cuisines. Along with other foreign restaurants, Japanese restaurants have gained traction in recent years. This paper seeks to delve into the Japanese culinary industry in South Asia, aiming to comprehend the factors influencing consumer choice and formulate an effective market development strategy. Employing the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the study explores the determinants of Indian and Bangladeshi consumers' intentions to choose Japanese restaurants. Utilizing qualitative research methods, 36 in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted, with 20 Indian and 16 Bangladeshi respondents. A semi-structured questionnaire covering demographics, attitudes, subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control and other factors including price concern, food authenticity and religion was employed. Analysis of interview transcripts using NVivo 10 software revealed that participants generally had an average economic condition. Notably, religion emerged as a significant factor influencing purchase intentions in Bangladesh, while attitude and perceived behavioral control are the most significant contributors to Indian consumers' perceptions. Additionally, the study found that both Indian and Bangladeshi consumers' perceptions were significantly influenced by the authenticity of Japanese cuisine and food prices positively and negatively. The findings offer valuable insights into the Japanese culinary industry promotion in India and Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to identify and categorize the factors influencing consumer goods' value into ecological and economic dimensions and subsequently compare them. The analysis employs the Allegro Reviews (AR) dataset, comprising post-purchase product reviews, with a focus on a sample of 1,400 randomly selected reviews from a pool of 10,615 comments. Through this examination, distinct influencing factors are identified, categorized as either ecological or economic, and their frequency of reference in online reviews was compared. The research findings show that consumers consistently address economic dimensions in their reviews. Notably, emphasis is placed on goods' quality, pricing, and the price-quality relationship. On the other hand, ecological aspects receive limited attention in reviews, suggesting their lesser significance to consumers compared to economic considerations. This study's implications for theory and practice indicate that companies should prioritize economic aspects in their value creation endeavors, relegating ecological factors to a secondary role. However, from a global standpoint, enterprises must incorporate ecological dimensions during the value creation process to avert environmental degradation, which could otherwise undermine overall societal quality of life. In terms of originality and value, this research diverges from typical consumer choice studies that rely on questionnaires. Instead, it analyzes actual post-purchase product reviews, providing insights into tangible elements contributing to goods' value, thus bypassing reliance on mere declarations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pain of payment--a negative feeling consumers experience during the process of paying for a good or service--can reduce access to the veterinary services market. We examine the potential of payment plans to reduce pain of payment among pet owners from a theoretical and empirical perspective. We find that payment plans reduce pain of payment by decreasing the price and income effects of purchasing veterinary services. An important, additional finding is that some consumers discount the payment plan option. We suggest that payment plan options should be carefully considered for different groups of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES AND IMPORTANCE OF STUDY The objective of this systematic review of the literature was to examine the evidence relating to consumer-directed care (CDC) in the aged care environment. CDC entails providing individuals with the option of choice and flexibility in their care, to empower aged care recipients with autonomous decisions over their healthcare choices. Additionally, the researchers found evidence relating to the vulnerability of users of aged care services and the lack of understanding towards a true consumer-oriented approach which was highlighted during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Safety and Quality. STUDY TYPE AND METHOD The research team used the PRISMA Method to review the available literature systematically. This qualitative review of the literature on consumer choice in the aged and social care sectors assessed sixteen high-quality research papers and identified themes that emerged to promote authentic consumer voice in aged care services. These articles provided insight into what aged care providers require to increase transparency and facilitate effective, meaningful consumer choice. RESULTS Six themes emerged from the literature reviewed: Informed Choice, See Me Hear Me, Funding My Choices, My Choice My Way, Policy, and Know Me, Include Me. The authors found significant challenges to authentic consumer voice in terms of reliable information, complex, inflexible service provision, and a trusted and skilled carer workforce. CONCLUSION Authentic consumer choice requires collaboratively designed care plans with consumers, integrating their care-related preferences and values. Providers who have embraced CDC principles, and innovative practices have enhanced person-centred care, and consumer experience and autonomy. Cultivating inclusive, transparent, and collaborative environments to empower older Australians to shape and control their care provision and wellbeing is a key challenge for providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to identify the various elements that influence the decision-making process in selecting the acne product line offered by Rohto Vietnam Company specifically within the context of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A representative sample consisting of 265 clients who have used acnes' facial care and acne prevention products within Ho Chi Minh City was gathered and subjected to analysis. This study makes a substantial contribution by investigating the factors that influence consumers' choices for Rohto Vietnam's Acnes product line in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The results underscore the importance of various factors including safety, aesthetics, brand reputation, pricing, geographical proximity, promotional efforts and social impact in influencing consumer decision-making. Understanding these factors and the implications they carry will help Rohto Vietnam develop targeted marketing strategies to effectively position and support the acne product line which will eventually lead to the attraction and retention of a loyal customer base. The company should place a high level of importance on product safety, allocate resources towards enhancing product aesthetics, establish a robust brand image, carefully evaluate pricing strategies and execute impactful marketing and promotional initiatives. These actions are necessary to meet consumer expectations and strengthen their competitive advantage within the skincare industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Using a generic cheese as an anchor product, in this study consumers' preferences for different EU quality schemes have been investigated. Specifically, the study aims to understand whether "Protected Designation of Origin" (PDO), "Organic" and "Mountain Product" labels are independent or if there are some synergies existing between them, questioning – at the same time – whether this alleged exchange of value plays a positive or negative role in terms of consumers' willingness to pay. Design/methodology/approach: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted on 600 Italian consumers performing a random parameter logit model. The respondents were representative of the Italian population in terms of age, gender and geographical distribution. Consumers' preferences for the presence of "Organic" and "Mountain product" labels were assessed in the DCE, together with the effect of price, for both PDO and generic cheeses. Findings: Consumers are willing to pay a premium in price for "Organic" and "Mountain Product" per se, for cheese with and without the PDO denomination. Considering the interaction effects, results showed that the combined use of "Organic" and "Mountain Product" labels do not decrease consumers' intention to buy. However, when applied on a PDO product, these attributes generate a lower consumers' willingness to pay in comparison with the generic ones, highlighting a possible overlapping between them. Originality/value: Despite the abundant literature on EU quality schemes in many food categories, this study represents one of the first attempts to measure the interaction effect between different EU quality schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives and importance of study: The objective of this systematic review of the literature was to examine the evidence relating to consumer-directed care (CDC) in the aged care environment. CDC entails providing individuals with the option of choice and flexibility in their care, to empower aged care recipients with autonomous decisions over their healthcare choices. Additionally, the researchers found evidence relating to the vulnerability of users of aged care services and the lack of understanding towards a true consumer-oriented approach which was highlighted during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Safety and Quality. Study type and method: The research team used the PRISMA Method to review the available literature systematically. This qualitative review of the literature on consumer choice in the aged and social care sectors assessed sixteen high-quality research papers and identified themes that emerged to promote authentic consumer voice in aged care services. These articles provided insight into what aged care providers require to increase transparency and facilitate effective, meaningful consumer choice. Results: Six themes emerged from the literature reviewed: Informed Choice, See Me Hear Me, Funding My Choices, My Choice My Way, Policy, and Know Me, Include Me. The authors found significant challenges to authentic consumer voice in terms of reliable information, complex, inflexible service provision, and a trusted and skilled carer workforce. Conclusion: Authentic consumer choice requires collaboratively designed care plans with consumers, integrating their care-related preferences and values. Providers who have embraced CDC principles, and innovative practices have enhanced person-centred care, and consumer experience and autonomy. Cultivating inclusive, transparent, and collaborative environments to empower older Australians to shape and control their care provision and wellbeing is a key challenge for providers.

This study explored the impact of various label information (extrinsic attributes) and sociodemographic and attitudinal factors (intrinsic attributes) on Brazilian consumer choices, using simulated traditional and plant-based muçarela cheese as the model product. The research was conducted in two phases: the first involved a structured questionnaire assessing attitudinal dimensions such as Health Consciousness, Climate Change, Plant-based Diets, and Food Neophobia, along with sociodemographic data collection. The second phase comprised a discrete choice experiment with (n = 52) and without (n = 509) eye tracking. The term “Cheese” on labels increased choice probability by 7.6% in a general survey and 15.1% in an eye tracking study. A prolonged gaze at “Cheese” did not affect choice, while more views of “Plant-based product” slightly raised choice likelihood by 2.5%. Repeatedly revisiting these terms reduced the choice probability by 3.7% for “Cheese” and 1% for “Plant-based product”. Nutritional claims like “Source of Vitamins B6 and B12” and “Source of Proteins and Calcium” boosted choice probabilities by 4.97% and 5.69% in the general and 8.4% and 6.9% in the eye-tracking experiment, respectively. Conversely, front-of-package labeling indicating high undesirable nutrient content decreased choice by 13% for magnifying presentations and 15.6% for text. In a plant-based subsample, higher environmental concerns and openness to plant-based diets increased choice probabilities by 5.31% and 5.1%, respectively. These results highlight the complex dynamics between label information, consumer understanding, and decision-making.

With the South Asian economy swiftly integrating into global markets, the restaurant industry in India and Bangladesh has thrived, providing a wide range of global cuisines. Along with other foreign restaurants, Japanese restaurants have gained traction in recent years. This paper seeks to delve into the Japanese culinary industry in South Asia, aiming to comprehend the factors influencing consumer choice and formulate an effective market development strategy. Employing the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the study explores the determinants of Indian and Bangladeshi consumers’ intentions to choose Japanese restaurants. Utilizing qualitative research methods, 36 in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted, with 20 Indian and 16 Bangladeshi respondents. A semi-structured questionnaire covering demographics, attitudes, subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control and other factors including price concern, food authenticity and religion was employed. Analysis of interview transcripts using NVivo 10 software revealed that participants generally had an average economic condition. Notably, religion emerged as a significant factor influencing purchase intentions in Bangladesh, while attitude and perceived behavioral control are the most significant contributors to Indian consumers’ perceptions. Additionally, the study found that both Indian and Bangladeshi consumers’ perceptions were significantly influenced by the authenticity of Japanese cuisine and food prices positively and negatively. The findings offer valuable insights into the Japanese culinary industry promotion in India and Bangladesh.

In this paper, we consider an assortment optimization problem in which a platform must choose pairwise disjoint sets of assortments to offer across a series of T stages. Arriving customers begin their search process in the first stage, and progress sequentially through the stages until their patience expires, at which point they make a multinomial logit–based purchasing decision from among all products they have viewed throughout their search process. The goal is to choose the sequential displays of product offerings to maximize expected revenue. Additionally, we impose stage‐specific constraints that ensure that as each customer progresses farther and farther through the T stages, there is a minimum level of "desirability" met by the collections of displayed products. We consider two related measures of desirability: purchase likelihood and expected utility derived from the offered assortments. In this way, the offered sequence of assortments must be both high earning and well liked, which breaks from the traditional assortment setting, where customer‐centric considerations are generally not explicitly accounted for. We show that our assortment problem of interest is strongly NP‐Hard, thus ruling out the existence of a fully polynomial‐time approximation scheme (FPTAS). From an algorithmic standpoint, as a warm‐up, we develop a simple constant factor approximation scheme in which we carefully stitch together myopically selected assortments for each stage. Our main algorithmic result consists of a polynomial‐time approximation scheme (PTAS), which combines a handful of structural results related to the make‐up of the optimal assortment sequence within an approximate dynamic programming framework. We also provide an additional approximation scheme, which, under mild assumptions, can handle a cardinality constraint that enforces that an exact number of new products are introduced at each stage. Using an extensive set of numerical experiments, we demonstrate that both algorithms exhibit excellent practical performance, producing sequences of assortments that are, on average, always within 2% of optimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 16 million people receive health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) individual health insurance marketplaces. Many enrollees receive premium subsidies that are tied to the premium of the second least expensive silver plan available. This study investigates the consistency of the least expensive silver plan offered on Healthcare.gov from 2014 to 2021 and finds that on average, from one year to the next, the same insurer offered the least expensive silver plan in 63.1% of counties representing 54.7% of the population. However, even when the same insurer offers the least expensive plan, almost half the time, they introduce a new, less expensive plan in the next policy year. Consequently, ACA enrollees who previously purchased the least expensive silver plan may face incremental premium costs unless they spend time and effort to carefully reevaluate their choices each year. We estimate the potential premium cost of inattention and show how it varies over time and across states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Food choices profoundly affect one's dietary, nutritional and health outcomes. Using alcoholic beverages as a case study, the authors assess the potential of genetic data in predicting consumers' food choices combined with conventional socio-demographic data. Design/methodology/approach: A discrete choice experiment was conducted to elicit the underlying preferences of 484 participants from seven provinces in China. By linking three types of data (—data from the choice experiment, socio-demographic information and individual genotyping data) of the participants, the authors employed four machine learning-based classification (MLC) models to assess the performance of genetic information in predicting individuals' food choices. Findings: The authors found that the XGBoost algorithm incorporating both genetic and socio-demographic data achieves the highest prediction accuracy (77.36%), significantly outperforming those using only socio-demographic data (permutation test p-value = 0.033). Polygenic scores of several behavioral traits (e.g. depression and height) and genetic variants associated with bitter taste perceptions (e.g. TAS2R5 rs2227264 and TAS2R38 rs713598) offer contributions comparable to that of standard socio-demographic factors (e.g. gender, age and income). Originality/value: This study is among the first in the economic literature to empirically demonstrate genetic factors' important role in predicting consumer behavior. The findings contribute fresh insights to the realm of random utility theory and warrant further consumer behavior studies integrating genetic data to facilitate developments in precision nutrition and precision marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sharks and rays evolved 450 million years ago, during the Late Ordovician Period. However, during the modern Anthropocene, shark populations have declined at considerable rates, and recent global assessments indicate about one in three species is threatened with extinction. A notable reason for this elevated extinction risk is overfishing linked to increased demand for shark fins and other products. Here, we review multiple dimensions of consuming shark products, ranging from stock sustainability, product (mis)labelling and trade, the human health implications of consuming shark products, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and slavery and labour abuses in the fishing industry. We conclude that traceability and increased transparency in seafood supply chains is essential to overcome obstacles to consumption of sustainable, ethical and healthy shark products. We also provide a decision tree outlining steps in consumer choice that would foster such consumption. Our aim is to provide a holistic view on issues concerning the consumption of shark products that will help policymakers, the public, management and law enforcement agencies to advocate for ecologically‐ and ethically sustainable consumption of shark products and thereby empower the general public to make informed decisions on which shark products they consume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]