A DAY WITHOUT FAFH IS A DAY WITH BETTER NUTRITION

Two day food intakes from the continuing Survey of Individual Food Intake is used to compare nutrition of individuals who on one day had a FAFH meal and on the other did not. It is found that nutrition on the FAFH day is consistently worse for almost all population subgroups. In particular, significantly more calories are consumed on a day with FAFH meal.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

The Effect of Demographic, Economic, and Nutrition Factors on the Frequency of Food Away from Home

Food away from home, especially fast food, is often cited as contributing to rising obesity. This negative publicity can affect the demand for restaurant meals. In this study econometric models explaining visits to table service and fast food restaurants are estimated. The explanatory variables include not only standard demographic and economic measures but also measures of nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and concerns. Effects for the former are similar to those found in past studies. For nutrition factors, we find only limited impact for table service, but there is strong evidence that nutrition-orientated consumers tend to have lower fast food consumption.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

The Relation Between Dietary Change and Rising U.S. Obesity

Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Health Economics and Policy,

THE EFFECT OF FOOD STAMPS ON SPENDING FOR GROCERY PRODUCTS

We constructed demographic profiles of each market area by aggregating circa-1990 county US census data. We constructed a measure for market level food stamp benefits using 1990 county-level food stamp benefit data supplied by the USDA. This is the key explanatory variable in regressions in which sales of many specific foods and food aggregates are regressed on food stamp benefits and a large number of demographics, including a measure of poverty. The percent of grocery sales accounted for by food stamps ranged from less than two in the Boston area to more than ten in Shreveport. The primary interest is to evaluate the extent to which differences in food stamp usage across market areas alters the relative sales of grocery products. Because food stamps are a food-specific increase in income, we might expect a shift into more desirable, income-elastic grocery categories, perhaps more nutritious ones. We examine major food categories and find effects in the expected direction, in some cases significant. Focusing on nutrition, we examine sales of particular cereal brands, for which we have detailed sales and nutrition content data. No strong impacts are found. The second interest is the food buying habits of low income buyers in general and food stamp users in particular. It is commonly felt that low income households are necessarily more adroit food shoppers and will tend to buy more economical versions of their choices. However, there is little evidence of this. Indeed, it has been repeatedly found that low income buyers are less likely to substitute private labels goods for their branded counterparts. We study the role of food stamp and poverty in differences across markets on private label share of 71 grocery categories. A recent study by Gundersen and Oliveira might suggest that food stamp users are more likely to watch the food budget than are low income nonusers, suggesting different effects. Essentially this is what is found, for the ceteris paribus impact of poverty is to reduce sales of private label products, but if anything those using food stamps tend to buy them.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

CONSUMER PRICE AWARENESS IN FOOD SHOPPING: THE CASE OF QUANTITY SURCHARGES

Data from 54 grocery regions is on tuna sales, prices, and consumer demographics is used to examine why consumers purchase large sizes when unit prices are higher. Results strongly indicate that this is done on the mistaken belief that large sizes are always cheaper: buyers are not examining prices.quantity surcharges, price awareness, Consumer/Household Economics,

Determinants of household choice of breakfast cereals: healthy or unhealthy?

We studied consumer demand for more and less healthy breakfast cereals. Using ACNielsen Homescan database and USDA food nutrition data, we developed three cereal nutrition indexes for each household in the data. In addition to the standard demographic characteristics of households and prices, we included variables representing differences between private labels and national brands. We found that the structure of the industry, through its effect on the product mix produced, affects consumer choice of nutritious foods. Some households buy fewer healthy cereals simply through reluctance to trust private labels. Among all factors expected to influence consumer purchases, the prices appear to have the strongest effect on the healthiness of the choice of breakfast cereals, which is a relatively inexpensive product. Households with children and teens buy less healthy cereals, while older and more educated households make healthier choices.consumer demand, healthy and unhealthy food, breakfast cereals, Consumer/Household Economics,

IMPLICATION OF RECENT USER CHARGE LEGISLATION FOR BARGE TRANSPORTATION OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES

Political Economy,

MARKET COMPETITION AND METROPOLITAN-AREA GROCERY PRICES

This paper examines the relationship of 1987 retail grocery prices to supermarket sales concentration across 95 U.S. metropolitan areas. The regression model incorporates a large number of population, retail-cost, and retail competition factors and separate prices by type of grocery item. We find that the concentration-price relationship is sensitive to item type: positive for packaged, branded, dry groceries and unrelated for produce, meat, and dairy product prices. As for market rivalry, we find that small grocery stores provide no grocery price competition for supermarkets. However, branded grocery prices are driven down by fast-food places and by rapid price churning, whereas for unbranded foods the presence of warehouse stores places downward pressure on supermarket prices while fast-food presence does not. For the branded-groceries component, we also find prices higher in large, fast-growing, low- income, Eastern cities. We also find that cities where rents, wages, and electricity costs are high tend to have high dry grocery prices. However, for the unbranded-products component retail costs are unrelated to prices, and cities in the South have the highest prices.retail grocery trade, pricing policy, variable price merchandising, market competition, category management, market structure, sales concentration, price discrimination, price rivalry, oligopoly, food demand, food prices, Consumer/Household Economics,

CONVENIENCE, ACCESSIBILITY, AND THE DEMAND FOR FAST FOOD

This study explores the growth in demand for fast food. A distinguishing characteristic of fast food is its convenience; in today's pervasive marketplace, consumers need not travel far to find a fast food outlet. This greater availability translates into a decrease in the full price of obtaining a meal, which contributes to greater consumption. Market-level data are used to estimate demand equations in two time periods, incorporating changes in availability as well as prices, income, and various demographic characteristics. Our findings show that greater availability has led to increased consumption. Failure to account for these types of marketplace changes could lead to incorrect inferences regarding the factors responsible for the industry growth.Demand and Price Analysis,

The Impact of Demographics, Market Characteristics, and Prices on the Consumption of Food-Away-From-Home

Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,