Acceptance of Suboptimal Food Products:

Acceptance of Suboptimal Food Products:

A Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis on the Importance of

Appearance, Expiration Date, Price and Organic

Labeling

DAPHN E TIMME RHU IS S 2764466

Contents

Introduction

▪ Suboptimal Food Products cause a big part of food waste (Aschemann-Witzel et al., 2015), which leads to preventable greenhouse gas emissions

▪ Suboptimal food products:

▪ Appearance:

▪ Fruits and vegetables with an unusual appearance ▪ Products with a damaged package

▪ Expiration date:

▪ Products close to the expiration date (De Hooge et al., 2017)

Research Questions

(1) What is the relative importance of the product features of appearance, expiration date,

price and organic labeling with regard to the product choice of the customer?

(2) Can the effect of suboptimal features on the purchase decision be changed by providing a

sustainability claim?

Methodology

▪ Choice-based conjoint analysis (CBC) with fractional factorial design

▪ 9 choice-sets: 3 alternatives + none-option

▪ 180 participants

▪ 2 conditions regarding ‘sustainability claim’

Results: Attribute Importance

▪ Price is the most important attribute, followed by expiration date

Results: Sustainability Claim

▪ A sustainability claim can slightly diminish the negative effect of a short expiration date (marginally)

▪ A sustainability claim increases the

Results: Generalizability Products

▪ Apples: usual appearance more important, price and expiration date less important

▪ Crackers: far expiration date important

Results: Generalizability

Consumers

CLASS 1

▪ Usual appearance most

important, without organic label

(Class size 7.8%)

CLASS 2

▪ Far expiration date most important, with organic label

Results: Generalizability

Consumers

▪ Latent class analysis: 2 classes

▪ Class 2: Far expiration date most important, with organic label

▪ Class size 92.2%

▪ Consumers in class 2:

▪ Are more likely to be female ▪ Are slightly younger

▪ Are higher educated

▪ Have a smaller household size

Managerial Implications

▪ Make suboptimal products more attractive – Reducing price with signal / Including organic label

▪ Use sustainability claim only for products close to expiration date

▪ Mind the product type

Limitations and Future Research

▪ Study sample

▪ Product types

▪ Levels of attributes

Thank you for your attention!