Abstract

Consumer behaviour is goal-orientated. In food product research, goals as cognitive constructs have been shown to translate through the product into an evaluation of product attributes and onto actual choice. In relation to food consumer behaviour and food product choice, however, the manner by which goals operate on post-purchase affective states (need fulfilment) has been largely unexplored. This study examined how food product attributes relate to consumer satisfaction and how this association differs along the goal gradient. We posited that goals are translated through the target object (the product) into a satisfaction representation of product attributes of the identified product. Based on tri-reference point (TRP) goal dependency and the Kano approach to satisfaction measurement, we then. analysed the product attribute satisfaction that characterised different goal levels using data collected in an in-store, non-hypothetical consumer experiment with a random sample of 229 consumers. The existence of TRP dependence on product attribute satisfaction was strongly supported, indicating that need fulfilment was directed by transitions across goal reference states. Moreover, a lack of direct proportionality between goal valuation and the instrumentality of the product attributes as means to need fulfilment was identified. These results have normative implications for food product development and research in terms of targeting consumer needs. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Goals; Multiple reference; Consumer behaviour; Field experiment; Decision systems

Published in

Food Quality and Preference
2017, Volume: 56, number: Part A, pages: 8-17
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

SLU Authors

• Lagerkvist, Carl-Johan

  • Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

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


UKÄ Subject classification

Economics


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2016.09.006

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/94151