Abstract

Recent findings within behavioural decision-making suggest that individuals make use of a tri-reference point set when making choices. This implies that choices and preference formation among competing products that are considered acceptable, but differ in desirability, are formed differently along the continuum from bottom line to target level. This study examined whether personal goals, as multiple reference points in relation to food product choice, inherit the properties of a value function. It was posited that goals as cognitive constructs are translated through the target object (the product) and through judgement and context into a representation of identified product preferences. The types of preferences that characterise the different goal levels were then analysed using data collected in an in-store, non-hypothetical consumer experiment with a random sample of 236 consumers. The existence of tri-reference point dependence was strongly supported, with the data indicating that product choices and preferences were moderated by transitions across reference states. Moreover, during transitions notable relative changes in evaluation of the product were identified. These results have normative implications for food product marketing in terms of targeting consumer needs. More importantly, they have strong methodological implications for studies on consumer preferences. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Multiple reference dependence; Consumer behaviour; Food choice; Experiment; CATA; EsSense emotional profile

Published in

Food Quality and Preference
2015, Volume: 41, pages: 60-74
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

SLU Authors

• Lagerkvist, Carl-Johan

  • Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology - SIK

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture


UKÄ Subject classification

Business Administration
Applied Psychology
Food Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2014.11.006

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/73786