Suggesting the Best Bundle for Dairy Products Based on Consumers' Purchase Behavior

Product bundling can be attractive for consumers and also be profitable as a marketing strategy. Based on the importance of this promotion strategy, this study estimated the effect of features on consumers\u2019 purchase preferences among 16 dairy products available in the assortment of a popular brand by using a d-level nested logit model. Data about consumer preferences were collected from a sample of dairy products consumers in Sari City, Iran in 2018. By using the results of preferences, this study ran an optimisation algorithm according to a maximum profit criterion and suggested the best bundle for dairy products. Based on the algorithm results, the bundle including 4 out of the 16 available products had the maximum expected profit. This paper found that the profit of selling this product bundle is higher than the profit that could be obtained by selling these products separately

Factors Affecting Consumers' Dairy Products Preferences

Choice models represent a valid approach for the analysis of consumers' preferences as these models offer an opportunity to investigate many aspects that influence consumer behaviour. This study with the purpose of investigating consumers' preferences and their affecting factors were conducted by using the nested logit model in Sari, Iran in 2018. The results revealed that yoghurt, milk and cheese had the most preferences among the dairy products and consumers had more tendencies towards using low fat than full-fat dairy products. The results of factors affecting dairy products choice indicated that price and family cost decreased the probability of products being chosen, and age, education and attention to exercise variables increased this probability. Marketing mixed variables (4p) also had a significant effect on the choice of dairy products

Consumer preferences and willingness to pay for clams with sustainability certification in Mediterranean countries

For some types of seafood, such as clams, there are now sustainability certificates that guarantee their sustainable production. However, their consumption may be associated with some ethical and sustainability concerns, as clams are harvested in ways that may be harmful to the environment. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate consumers’ sustainability concerns based on their purchasing preferences and WTP for clams with sustainability certification in three Mediterranean countries—Italy, Spain and Croatia. Data were collected online and consumer preferences were elicited using a labelled discrete choice experiment. The results show that in general all consumers prefer clams from their country of origin, while there are differences in their appreciation for the sustainability certification. While Croatian consumers are not very interested in the current Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification, consumers in Spain are willing to pay a higher price for it. At the same time, consumers in Italy are more interested in new certifications such as Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM). These results could be of interest to clam production and distribution companies trying to advance their corporate social responsibility activities and positioning

Review of factors affecting consumer acceptance of cultured meat

Concerns about animal welfare and sustainable meat production are growing among consumers. The awareness of carbon emissions linked to livestock and ethical concerns have triggered interest in more sustainable meat alternatives, among which cultured meat (also known as laboratory grown meat) is a recent entry. Like any new food, the ultimate success of cultured meat depends on consumer acceptance. This study analyses the peer reviewed literature on consumer attitudes towards cultured meat to synthesize the existing evidence and identify priorities for future research. A systematic literature review was undertaken using the Web of Science, Science Direct and Scopus databases over 2008-2020, resulting in a final number of 43 articles meeting our selection criteria. The most important factors influencing consumer acceptance/rejection of cultured meat include public awareness, perceived naturalness, and food-related risk perception. Ethical and environmental concerns prompted consumers to be willing to pay a premium price for purchasing meat substitutes, but not necessarily cultured meat. Also, food neophobia and uncertainties about safety and health seem to be important barriers to uptake of this technology. Availability of other alternatives such as plant-based meat substitutes and product features, such as price and sensory appeal, are considered determinants of consumer reception of this technology. The effect of demographic factors is mixed. More research on the interrelationships between livestock production, food security, and alternative meat products is recommended

How Blockchain Facilitates the Transition toward Circular Economy in the Food Chain?

Food loss and waste are two of the many problems that modern society is facing. To date, among many solutions, the circular economy is the one prevailing. A successful transition toward a circular economy (CE) requires the food sector to overcome the challenges of today’s complex food supply chains such as information asymmetry, poor cooperation among stakeholders, and concerns about food safety. Blockchain, a form of distributed ledger technology, has been progressively gaining traction in supply chains in areas like data management, certifying product provenance and tracking products. Despite its importance, knowledge around the potential of the blockchain technology in facilitating the transition towards a circular economy in the agri-food sector is fragmented. This review provides evidence-based insights into the blockchain implementations in the food supply chains and the implications for CE. Our findings indicated four major areas that blockchain could accelerate CE in the agri-food sector: improving data utility; supply chain management efficacy; enhanced eco-efficiency; and superior traceability

Consumers ' Food Choosing Behavior under Nested Structure

This study aims to investigate the consumers' dairy food choice behaviours and preferences and their affecting factors based on a sample collected in Sari, Iran in 2018. This research used the nested logit model. The results revealed that yoghurt, milk and cheese were the most preferred among dairy products and older consumers were more interested in low-fat dairy products. Affecting factors on consumers' preferences indicated that price and family expenses decreased the probability of their choice, while variables such as age, education and attention to exercise increased this probability. Marketing mix variables (the 4Ps) also had significant effects on the selection of dairy products

Application of Linear and Non-linear Programming Model to Assess the Sustainability of Water Resources in Agricultural Patterns

Water resources sustainability is one of the major issues in the agricultural sustainability. In this study sustainability of water resources has been investigated by use of linear and non-linear models in six models based on optimal utilization of water resources in the north parts farms of Iran because of incorrect use of agricultural water resources, from 2011 to 2012. Also “gross margin per a unit of water consumption” and “employment per a unit of water consumption” are used as indicators for assessing the sustainability of cropping patterns. The results show that cropping pattern of fractional goal programming (FGP) model has been near to current situation and has shown realistic conditions according to expertise and advantage of this area in cultivation of certain crops. So the FGP model has desirability in each of indicators than other five models

Application of Linear and Non-linear Programming Model to Assess the Sustainability of Water Resources in Agricultural Patterns

Water resources sustainability is one of the major issues in the agricultural sustainability. In this study sustainability of water resources has been investigated by use of linear and non-linear models in six models based on optimal utilization of water resources in the north parts farms of Iran because of incorrect use of agricultural water resources, from 2011 to 2012. Also “gross margin per a unit of water consumption” and “employment per a unit of water consumption” are used as indicators for assessing the sustainability of cropping patterns. The results show that cropping pattern of fractional goal programming (FGP) model has been near to current situation and has shown realistic conditions according to expertise and advantage of this area in cultivation of certain crops. So the FGP model has desirability in each of indicators than other five models