Communicating about the risks and benefits of genetically modified foods. Effects of different information strategies

The research reported here aimed to investigate the effects of different types of information about genetically modified foods on both consumer attitudes towards genetic modification and their tendency to choose genetically modified products (compared to more traditionally manufactured alternatives). The impact of information strategy (balanced, or product specific), attributed information source (The “European Association of Consumers”, the “European Association of Industry” or the “European Commission”) and type of product (yoghurt or beer) were systematically examined in the four European countries involved in the research. The effects of a classical advertising approach were also examined in Denmark and Germany. The results indicated that • Providing information does not increase acceptance of genetically modified foods. The reverse was found to be true. • In all countries, consumers tended to select non-genetically modified products. Cross-national differences related to type of product were not very pronounced. • Those respondents who had positive prior attitudes towards genetically modified foods were more likely to select genetically modified foods. These attitudes were not influenced by information provision. • The form of information strategy about genetically modified foods was not important. However, the provision of information (in itself) was more likely to activate existing attitudes already held by respondents than change these attitudes. • Labelling of genetically modified products alone was unlikely to result in attitude activation. • These results are likely to be applicable only in cultures in which attitudes towards genetically modified foods are already well established. Information may have a different impact in countries in which the public have not been exposed to information about genetically modified foods. • Information source characteristics do influence consumer choices regarding genetically modified foods. In particular, consumers are more likely to choose genetically modified products if the source providing information about them is perceived to be honest, and the information is product specific, or if the source is perceived to be dishonest, and the information is balanced and general in content. • Industry was perceived to be more dishonest providers of information about genetically modified foods in Denmark, Italy and the United Kingdom, but not in Germany, where industry was as trusted as the other sources. • Increased transparency might improve public trust in industry. However, the public are more likely to believe the European Commission or consumer organisations when communicating about genetic modification.Consumer behaviour; Food; Denmark; Italy; United Kingdom; Germany

How do affective health-related and cognitive determinants influence fish consumption? A consumer survey in five European countries

This paper focuses on exploring whether and to what extent affective health-related and cognitive determinants have an impact on fish consumption behaviour. Cross-sectional data were collected through the SEAFOODplus pan-European consumer survey (n=4,786) with samples representative for age and region in Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain and Poland. Consumers’ belief that eating fish is healthy and their interest in healthy eating positively influence fish consumption behaviour. Subjective knowledge is found to be a more important predictor of fish consumption than objective knowledge. Age and education contribute significantly to explaining fish consumption behaviour. However, the age and education effects on fish consumption frequency are indirect and mediated by the affective health-related and cognitive factors, such as health involvement and interest in healthy eating and knowledge related to fish. The proposed model contributes to a better understanding of health-related and cognitive factors influencing fish consumption behaviour.consumer, fish, determinants, model, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Composition of Collaborative Innovation Networks: An Investigation of Process Characteristics and Outcomes

In this study we test how different ways of composing collaborative action networks influence food innovation. Networks have received considerable attention in the literature and are perceived to enhance the likelihood of innovation success by overcoming resource and capability deficiencies. While previous studies of collaborate innovation in the food sector have been mostly qualitative case studies of one or a few networks, we compare 96 networks which were all structured according to the same network template. After content-analysing archive data, we estimated a vector-generalised linear model with binomial response distributions and probit link functions; with network composition as the predictor and the innovation process charateristics and outcomes as response variables. Our findings show that differently composed manufacturer networks lead to different outcomes and different process characteristics. We find that strong management and coordination of activities are more important for heterogeneous manufacturer networks than for homogeneous manufacturer networks, and that vertically composed networks with suppliers contribute to efficiency gains to a higher extent than networks consisting solely of manufacturers

Occasions, people and places for pork consumption in Europe. Empirical findings from the Q-Porkchains pan-European consumer survey

Objective: to describe the occasions when, the places where and people with whom respondents reported pork meat consumption. Design & Setting: Cross-sectional web based survey in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece and Poland, January 2008, with quota samples on gender (male, female), age categories (20- 44y and 45-70y), and locality of residence (urban, rural with low pig production density and rural with high pig production density). Subjects: 2437 respondents (51% women, 49% men; mean age 41.4 y SD 13.1). Methods: Online computer based survey, including sociodemographic information, anthropometrics (weight, height), and further questions on frequency of pork consumption (30 common items, 17 country-specific items), the occasions (working day, any day, weekend, special occasions), the company (alone, with family, with friends, with others) and the place of actual consumption (at home, outside of home). Results are aggregated for the five European countries. Results: Tenderloin, mignonette, brochette together with pork shoulder ranked as the first choices for weekend and special occasions. The most out-of home consumed products are mixed gyros-pita meat, pork based brochette, pizza, small cuts, marinated meat, escalope, shoulder, tenderloin and mixed meat. The Greek country specific Sygglino, Tigania, and the Country-style sausage are amongst the main preferences for out of home consumption. At European level, most products are consumed at home and with the family. Meat products such as salami, ham, and similar products are amongst the first choices when eating alone. Semi-processed meat like brochettes, small cuts and marinated or ready to eat dishes as gyros-pitas and pizza are the main choice for eating in the company of friends. Conclusions: European respondents seem to make specific choices of food depending on to the occasions, the places and the company. This information highlights the potential orientation of consumers towards fresh meat for special occasions or weekends, and more processed and convenient products when alone or socializing. This information is also useful to address interventions aiming at the improvement of food related health in Europe.Occasions, Pork consumption, Europe, Q-Porkchains, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Reference Price Formation for Product Innovations – the Role of Consistent Price-Value-Relationships

When deciding between product alternatives, consumers have to compare the observed prices to their internal reference price to determine whether the offer is a good deal or not. For product innovations, for which no reference price has been established, it is unclear against which standard the observed price is compared. Despite extensive research on the use of reference prices, little attention has been devoted to the formation of an internal reference price for an unfamiliar product category. We suggest two mechanisms of how reference prices are constructed and find support for these in two experiments. Reference prices for an unfamiliar product category can either be formed through repeated exposure to incidental price information or through transfer of price information from a familiar, similar product category to an unfamiliar product category. Crucial is however that the product price-value relationship is consistent; a condition often not accounted for in product innovation testing

Improving the quality of IT services in computing centers with understanding of business processes

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Realising the transition to bioenergy: Integrating entrepreneurial business models into the biogas socio-technical system in Uganda

This study assesses the entrepreneurial potential and feasibility of developing a mobile system for purifying and bottling biogas in portable cylinders for wider society consumption and benefit. Our findings reveal that existing research has neglected the entrepreneurial potential in biogas energy that could increase energy supply and access in developing countries. Therefore, using a multimethod approach, the paper provides a comprehensive analysis of how an entrepreneurial business model could be developed and integrated into the biogas socio-technical system in Uganda. The analysis from the transitional model canvas shows that current biogas users have a relatively high satisfaction rate (50%) and with the adoption of the entrepreneurial business model this satisfaction could be captured on a wider social spectrum. Results from the feasibility study indicate that by sourcing materials locally, system builders (entrepreneurs) achieve a marginal cost reduction of 64% compared to when they are imported. Both findings from the transitional model canvas and the feasibility study indicate a high probability of not only reducing the supply gap but also a reliable energy source for developing countries and a potential for income generation and employment for the wider society.publishedVersio

European Consumers’ Acceptance of Beef Safety-Improving Interventions at Different Stages of the Beef Chain: Primary Production, Slaughtering, Processing and Packaging

Following the occurrence of meat safety incidents during the nineties (Verbeke et al., 1999), considerable effort has been done to improve safety in the beef chain, both by policy and beef chain actors. Nowadays, a wide array of interventions to improve beef safety is applied at different stages through the beef chain. As a result the microbiological safety risk has been significantly reduced (Koohmaraie et al., 2005). Although the benefits for the sector and the end users seem to be rather obvious, the application of interventions and technologies that are used to enhance beef safety is not always communicated to consumers. Currently, communication related to technologies and processes used in beef production and processing from the sector to consumers is often driven by legal obligations (for instance traceability) or profit seeking (for instance organic labelling). Consequently, information asymmetry between producers and consumers is the rule rather than the exception...