The development of consumer behaviour research towards functional foods in

There are various approaches to the study of consumer behaviour in food choice. As explained in Section 2.5 and 2.6, numerous studies and frameworks have been used to

explore consumer behaviour towards foods in general. Since the focus of this study is to look beyond conventional foods, the discussion continues with a review of the literature associated with functional food.

Functional foods particularly have attracted attention from researchers to identify possible factors that influence its consumption. Many previous studies on functional foods have focussed on the benefits to health and disease prevention. However, recent research has challenged this approach by exploring other food values beyond health and disease

prevention properties. Particularly, other non-health drivers such as origin, safety, naturalness, price have also been included. For example, Papalardo and Lusk (2016) researched consumer willingness to pay premium for a functional snack product. Nevertheless, such a study may not be applicable to all types of functional foods.

This study focuses on functional foods in the context of the UK. Hence it is important to consider research studies in this context, with the aim of identifying research gaps. Table 2.1 summarises consumer behaviour studies on functional foods in the UK.

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Table 2-1 The Studies of Consumer Behaviour towards Functional Foods in the UK Author The research aims Research

context (sample, country)

Conceptual model Key results

Hilliam, (1996)

To assess the consumers’ view about the functional ingredients and its health claims Selected six European countries-UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands

No specific theoretical framework used. Leatherhead Food Research Association (LFRA) conducted the research between 1990 and 1995. Qualitative studies explore respondents’ health concerns, i.e. stress, migraine, heart disease, obesity, cancer of stomach/colon, memory decline, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol level, osteoporosis

The level of awareness about the functional foods varies across countries (i.e. UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands)

Korzen and Jensen, (2006)

The consumer view on the properties of preventative measure in functional foods to reduce the risk of heart disease among post-menopausal women

Denmark and United Kingdom

No specific theoretical framework used. Using qualitative study, the study accesses the acceptability of food based that could help to improve the health. It was conducted by a controlled dietary intervention to prevent heart disease, which participants consumed fortified foods with isoflavones.

Despite the respondents positively agree the existence of the health properties of functional foods in the reduction of the heart disease, nevertheless, there are varieties of problems (barriers) faced as a hindrance to the consumption. Chambers and Lobb (2007)

The impact of the level of education to the consumption of functional food products United Kingdom

No specific theoretical framework used. The study focuses on three fresh products, strawberries and lettuce with higher antioxidant levels, and lamb chops with higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids. It measures the factors affected the willingness to pay for the three functional agriculture foods, i.e. price,

independently from functional characteristics, and longer shelf life.

Contrary to findings by Stewart-

La Barbera et al., (2016), the

finding of the study suggests there is no significant impact on various levels of education to the consumption of functional foods.

From the information in Table 2.1, it can be concluded that the scopes of consumer behaviour research associated with functional food products in the UK context are still limited and very little. Therefore, further investigation is needed to explore various

dimensions and contexts using relevant conceptual model. In addition to this, previous studies that have been conducted are relatively old. Since consumer behaviour is very dynamic (Douglas and Craig, 1997), there is a need to re-examine the identified attributes to suit a more contemporary context.

Apart from the UK, there are growing number of studies on consumer behaviour with respect to functional foods, conducted in various countries. It evolves over the years and explore various dimensions. For example, in the context of the US, among the studies

focused on functional foods’ consumer behaviour, the impact of economic and issues related to product development (Childs, 1997). Meanwhile, Childs and Poryzees, (1997), paid their attention in study the attitudes of functional food consumer and the implication to public policy. Gilbert, (2000) focused on ways to reach a target customer. Precisely, it is suggested that there are four factors prioritised by consumers in relation to healthy food choice, i.e. taste, self-education, nutritional individualisation, and filling the nutritional gaps. In addition,

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Gilbert (2000) also found that there are five primary benefits positively influence the food buying decisions for functional and nutritional products, i.e. Prevention, Performance, Wellness, Nurturing and Cosmetics. Nevertheless, despite these benefits are recognised by consumers in relation to the contents of functional properties of disease prevention and health enhancement, this attitude seems yet to translate into a real careful healthy eating. This scenario is proven as the study indicates that only small percentage, i.e. 10% of consumers always choose foods for health reasons (Gilbert, 2000). Such scenario may due to lack of health information obtained by the majority consumers. Hence, further continues

investigations on the consumers' intention is needed.

In a related development, the study in the context of Belgium, Verbeke (2005)

explained three factors i.e. Beliefs, Knowledge and Control over Health, positively influence consumer acceptance of functional foods. A positive correlation exists between the three factors and the dependent variable of consumer acceptance. The scale to measure the dependent variable of the acceptance utilising 2 items on 5-point Likert scale. The items are ‘‘Functional foods are acceptable for me if they taste good.’’ and ‘‘Functional foods are acceptable for me, even if they taste worse than their conventional alternative foods.’’ In relation to the independent variables, the Health benefit belief assesses using 4 items in 5- point scales, i.e. ‘‘Functional foods are likely to have a beneficial impact on my personal health.’’. Whilst Knowledge measured using 3 items in 7-point scales, i.e. ‘‘I know foods with specific beneficial health impact.’’, ‘‘I know enriched foods.’’, and ‘‘How do you judge your personal knowledge of functional foods.’’. The third independent variable of Perceived role of food for health represents by 3 items and assessed using 7-point scales, i.e. ‘‘Food plays an important role for my personal health.’’, ‘‘I feel to have control over my personal health.’’, and ‘‘I feel to eat healthier now as compared to 5 years ago.’’. The findings of the study reveal that the main positive determinant of acceptance is the Belief in the health benefits of functional foods. In addition to that, the presence of an ill family member stimulates the positive effect on functional food acceptance. In relation to this, high level of claimed knowledge or awareness of the concept decreases the acceptance. This result indicates that this adverse impact decreases in older people. Such a finding contrary to previous reports profiling users of functional food, the socio-demographic factors outweigh the Belief, knowledge and presence of an ill family member (Verbeke, 2005).

Meanwhile, Urala and Lähteenmäki (2007) developed a measurement with four factors to understand factor influencing consumer behaviour towards functional foods in the Finland.

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The scales to measure consumers’ willingness to use functional foods were developed. The assessment using (7-point scale: 1 = not at all willing and 7 = extremely willing). The

application of factor analysis to the scale identified four dimensions (factors). The first factor represents Perceived Reward, which explains the benefits of good health in general.

Examples of items include ‘The idea that I can take care of my health by eating functional foods gives me pleasure’, ‘My performance improves when I eat functional foods’, and ‘Functional foods help to improve my mood’. The second factor is Necessity for Functional Foods, which measures the perceptions of the role of functional foods in health improvement. Examples of used items include ‘Functional foods are completely unnecessary’, ‘The

growing number of functional foods on the market is a bad trend for the future’, and ‘For a healthy person it is worthless to use functional foods’. The third factor indicates Trust and Credibility, which measures perceptions of the credibility of claims made by functional foods. Examples of used items are ‘The safety of functional foods has been very thoroughly studied’, ‘I believe that functional foods fulfil their promises’ and ‘Functional foods are science-based top products’. The fourth factor indicates consumers’ perceptions of Safety of functional food ingredients. Examples of items are ‘If used in excess, functional foods can be harmful to health’, ‘In some cases, functional foods may be harmful for healthy people’, and ‘Using functional foods is completely safe’.

Besides that, in a recent study conducted in Croatia, Brecic et al., (2014) assessed the influence of functional food consumption in four sets of factors, (i.e. food choice motivations, demographic and socio-economic characteristics, knowledge of functional food and health status). The findings indicate that there are three factors that significantly influence food choice motives, which includes health, convenience and familiarity. In relation to this result, the study also found that individuals with a high consideration of health and food-

convenience and females with higher educational level are significantly heavier user of functional food products. Thus, in order to improve the consumer consumption of functional foods, the marketers are facing challenges as to educate consumers with the knowledge of the health benefits of the products and at the same time to satisfy the regulatory requirements. In other word, it is suggested that higher knowledge of health benefits may positively impact the consumption.

In other perspective of Canadian population, Stratton et al., (2015) concluded that the older people (over 70 years of age) have a higher degree of food neophobia that become their barriers, significantly reflect to a lower willingness to try new functional foods. The Food

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Neophobia Scales of Pliner and Hobden (1992) were used. Utilising 10 questions, the scale assesses dimensions of functional foods consumption, attitudes towards functional foods, general health, medical and demographic data, and degree of food neophobia. The ten

questions of the original scales include ‘I am constantly sampling new and different foods’, ‘I do not trust new foods’, ‘If I do not know what is in a food, I will not try it’, ‘I like foods from different countries’, ‘Ethnic food looks too weird to eat’, ‘At dinner parties, I will try a new food’, ’I am afraid to eat things I have never had before’, ‘I am very particular about the foods I will eat’, ‘I will eat almost anything’, ‘I like to try new ethic restaurant’. In relation to the result, it is suggested that higher food neophobia (higher barrier) would negatively impact the consumer willingness to consume functional foods.

In a more recent study in Italy, La Barbera et al., (2016) conducted a study to assess the role of knowledge and food technology neophobia in affecting consumer intention towards functional foods. One hundred undergraduate Italian universities were participating in the study utilising The Food Technology Neophobia scale (FTNS), in the context of tomatoes enriched with lycopene (functionalised product). The finding suggests that Knowledge has a significant impact to influence consumer intention.

In summary, there is a necessity to give higher emphasis for the study on UK consumer and the reason is justified. In addition, an investigation of consumer behaviour towards functional foods is essential as the popularity differs among countries (Ozen et al., 2014). Hence, in order to understand complex consumer behaviour, the focus should be given to appropriate and relevant determinants.

2.8 The determinants of consumer behaviour towards functional foods and other