A Consumer Segmentation Study for Meat and Meat Alternatives in Switzerland

The aim of this study was to identify consumer groups regarding meat and meat alternatives, which are homogeneous in themselves but very different from one another. To date, the literature has analysed the attitudes towards, and the motives behind, the consumption of meat and meat alternatives. However, segmentation research portraying homogeneous consumer groups that are consuming or willing to consume meat alternatives is lacking. This study closes this research gap and, in doing so, also shows how meat consumption is related to the consumption of alternative products. A questionnaire was sent out to a random sample in the German- and French-speaking parts of Switzerland, resulting in 561 responses. A hierarchical cluster analysis using seven scales revealed six distinct consumer groups, which covered all types of consumers, from the uncompromising meat-eater to the health-conscious meat avoider. The results show that meat alternatives are not always consumed as a substitute for meat but can also be a complementary component in one’s diet. This study contributes to the scientific literature by providing useful information for the food industry involved in producing and marketing meat and meat alternatives to different target groups

A segmentation of Swiss fluid milk consumers and suggestions for target product concepts

The objective of this study was to understand the priorities and motives of Swiss consumers when choos-ing and buying fluid milk and to provide evidence-based recommendations for the development of target product concepts and category adaptations. Data were collected through a postal survey sent to a randomly selected sample of German-speaking Swiss residents, yielding a final sample size of n = 712 (39% response rate). Hierarchical cluster analysis disclosed the pres-ence of 3 distinct consumer segments: the uncompro-mising consumers (24%), who have high and numerous expectations; the locavores (56%), who ensure that they consume primarily milk of local origin; and the indifferent consumers (20%), who have modest expec-tations, especially in taste, origin, and production con-ditions. The market review revealed that none of the 7 largest market players offered the right product mix to match the needs of its effective or targeted consumers. Overall, the current offer is too broad and untargeted. A large share of the offer lacks sufficient differentia-tion; furthermore, available added-value concepts often do not combine the right product attributes. Based on these results, 5 product concepts were elaborated. Two products were designed for the uncompromising con-sumers: a protein-enhanced, semi-skimmed (1.5%) milk and a fair milk (fair price paid to the milk producers); a twin concept was designed for the locavores: a 100% local pasteurized milk available in both conventional and organic quality; and one product was designed for the indifferent consumers: an all-purpose, long-life, part-skimmed (2.5%) milk. By including the product concepts dedicated to their targeted consumers’ seg-ments and downsizing their assortment depth, retailers could optimize their sales per square foot

Consumers’ Motives for Eating and Choosing Sweet Baked Products: A Cross-Cultural Segmentation Study

This study aimed to examine consumers’ motives for eating and choosing sweet baked products (SBPs). A cross-cultural segmentation study on a South African (SA) and Swiss population sample (n = 216), was implemented using the Motivation for Eating Scale (MFES) and the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ). Cluster analyses provided three consumer segments for each population sample: the balanced and the frequenters for both countries, the deniers for SA, and the health conscious for Switzerland. South Africans liked SBPs more than the Swiss respondents, however the Swiss sample consumed SBPs more often. Environmental and physical eating were the most relevant motives when eating SBPs for the SA and Swiss group, respectively. For both samples, sensory appeal was the deciding factor when choosing SBPs. Cross-cultural studies of food choices are important tools that could help improve the current understanding of factors that influence the eating behavior of ultra-processed foods to promote healthy food choices through local and global perspectives. This paper highlights that more research is needed on consumers’ motives for choosing and eating ultra-processed foods in order to develop specific integrative cultural exchange actions or intervention strategies to solve the obesity issue

Linking the Sensory Taste Properties of Chocolate-Based Biscuits to Consumers’ Emotions: A Cross-Cultural Study

This research measured consumers’ emotions and change in emotion to the specific sensory taste properties and attitudes of chocolate-based biscuits. The sample size involved 216 respondents from South Africa (n = 106) and Switzerland (n = 110). Respondents tasted chocolate-based biscuits and completed an online questionnaire. The increase in consumers’ levels of guilt after chocolate-based biscuit consumption and the contribution of a chocolate taste and craving attitude to consumers’ subsequent positive emotions and change in positive emotions could help food and consumer scientists to understand the link between emotions and the sensory descriptors of chocolate-based biscuits. Investigating the association between the emotional responses and sensory attributes of sweet baked products could benefit product developers when formulating food products for specific target markets and aid in the understanding of the emotional profile of food products