Did the COVID-19 lockdown affect consumers' sustainable behaviour in food purchasing and consumption in China?

The COVID-19 pandemic situation has altered consumers' behaviour in food purchasing and consumption. This study, as a first attempt, assesses how the COVID-19 lockdown affects Chinese consumers' purchasing and consumption behaviour from a sustainability point of view. To reach this objective, a semi-structured questionnaire is designed, collecting data from 1006 participants. The food purchasing behaviour towards the importance of sustainable attributes (P), sustainable and healthy diets (D), and food waste (W) as three dependent variables are measured, and three binary logistic regressions are estimated. The results suggest that gender and age are relevant factors affecting sustainable behaviour. Household size has a significant effect on the healthy diet shift and food waste reduction. Risk attitude has a negative and significant impact on the sustainable purchase decision. In addition, consumers' food security, financial, and health risk perceptions are highly important factors in understanding consumers' sustainable purchasing and consumption behaviour. Consumers' subjective and objective knowledge levels regarding COVID-19 influence consumers' sustainability shift during the lockdown. The findings provide some practical implications for policymakers and stakeholders to carry out more socially acceptable policy actions that ensure consumers' sustainable purchasing and consumption behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meta-analysis of consumers' willingness to pay for sustainable food products.

There is a continuous increase in the number of studies dealing with consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) price premiums for sustainable food products. This research focused on a broad area of sustainable food products, including different sustainable attributes using a meta-analysis of 80 worldwide studies. The publication bias was verified using the funnel plot and Egger's test. In addition, the subgroup analysis and meta-regression were applied to classify the source of heterogeneity. The results suggest that the overall WTP premium for sustainability (in percentage terms) is 29.5% on average. Furthermore, gender, region, sustainable attributes and food categories influence the average WTP estimates and their heterogeneity. Results also indicate that the WTP estimate conducted by hypothetical approach (choice experiment and contingent valuation method) is higher than non-hypothetical one due to hypothetical bias. In addition, the WTP estimate from the CVM is higher than that from the CE. Additionally, the WTP value of organic attribute is higher than the other sustainable attributes. The subgroup analysis indicates that the fruit &vegetable category has the highest WTP estimate while the seafood receives the lowest one. Results also highlight that Asian WTP estimates, in percentage terms, are higher than those obtained in North America and similar to those from Europe. In addition, positive WTP estimates are shown independent of the food categories, region or methods, denoting the presence of great market potential for sustainable products worldwide. The findings of this research can be used as a guide by food producers, marketers and policymakers when making decisions related to the sustainability of food products.

Should Animal Welfare be Included in Educational Programs? Attitudes of Secondary and University Students from Eight EU Countries.

Animal Welfare (AW) educational programs aim to promote positive attitudes of future generations toward animal production systems. This study investigated whether secondary and university students in the majors that are not related to AW teaching believe that this concept should be included also in their educational programs. The determinant factors affecting students' attitudes toward such a decision were analyzed. This research has focused on eight European countries (Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Italy, and Sweden) targeting 3,881 respondents composed of 1,952 secondary and 1,929 university students. The results showed that female university students with a high level of subjective and objective knowledge on AW and who required more restrictive AW regulations, gave support to include the concept in their educational programs. However, Students who support medical experiments that use animals to improve human health were less likely to accept AW education. Furthermore, students in Italy compared to those in Sweden were prone to support AW educational programs. Results highlight the importance of teaching the AW concept as a comprehensive teaching tool at universities and schools' programs as it may constitute a starting point for a more sustainable society toward improving animal living conditions, mainly in the Mediterranean countries in secondary schools.

Assessing the impact of a Christmas advertisement campaign on Catalan wine preference using Choice Experiments.

Our paper seeks to assess the impact of information and advertisement on consumers' preference for wines in special occasions (Christmas) in Catalonia (Spain). We apply the Choice Experiments method to study the relative importance of attributes that describe consumers' decision to purchase wine by using the Heteroskedastic Extreme Value (HEV) model. Data were obtained from two questionnaires applied to a pre and post spot samples formed by 299 and 400 individuals, respectively. Results suggest that the proposed spot does not affect the ranking of the preferred attributes, nevertheless this preference is heterogeneous. After advertising preferences scores have revealed significant differences. The relative importance of the "Catalan" wine has increased compared to the "Spanish" wine. The most preferred product is a Catalan wine made from the "Cabernet Sauvignon" variety. Wines that have been previously tasted by the consumer seem to be preferred over recommended or prestigious wines. However, advertising increases the relative importance of prestigious wines.

Trends in Food Preferences and Sustainable Behavior during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Evidence from Spanish Consumers.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to global food security, and it changes consumers' food buying and consumption behavior. This research not only investigates trends in Spanish consumers' general food shopping and consumption habits during the lockdown, but also investigates these trends from the perspective of sustainable purchasing. Specifically, total food consumption (C), food expenditure (E), and purchase of food with sustainable attributes (S) were measured. Data were collected from a semi-structured questionnaire which was distributed online among 1203 participants. The logit models showed that gender, age, employment status, and consumers' experiences were associated with total food consumption and expenditure during the lockdown. In addition, consumers' risk perceptions, shopping places, trust level in information sources, and risk preference were highly essential factors influencing consumers' preferences and sustainable behavior. Consumers' objective knowledge regarding COVID-19 was related to expenditure. Furthermore, family structure only affected expenditure, while income and place of residence influenced food consumption. Mood was associated with expenditure and the purchase of sustainable food. Household size affected purchasing behavior towards food with sustainable attributes. This research provides references for stakeholders that help them to adapt to the new COVID-19 situation.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Willingness to Consume Insect-Based Food Products in Catalonia.

Edible insects are being considered as a sustainable source of protein and are continuously appearing in markets in the West. The impact of COVID-19 on the willingness to consume (WTC) two products enriched with insect ingredients, jam and yogurt, was analyzed. A semistructured questionnaire was applied using the Qualtrics© consumer panel. Data was collected from 799 and 481 consumers before and during the COVID-19 lockdown in Catalonia (Spain), respectively. The multinomial logit (MNL) model was used to analyze the determinant factors affecting consumers' WTC insect-based products and the impact of COVID-19 on such heterogeneity. Results showed that the outbreak of COVID-19 caused a significant decrease in the WTC. Findings also revealed that consumers who contracted the COVID-19, strictly followed the regulations during the confinement, and are well informed about symptoms were more likely to reject the consumption of the insect-based products. Both before and during the lockdown, results showed that young and employed consumers, with low-income level, who give importance to the environmental attribute in food are prone to consume insect-based food products. The COVID-19 outbreak had a homogenizing impact on consumers' WTC with respect to the gender variable. Consumers' affirmation towards strict food safety standards of the insect-based products should be remarked.

Preferences in 'Jalapeño' Pepper Attributes: A Choice Study in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: According to Mexican growers of 'Jalapeño' peppers, its commercialization is the primary limitation. Thus, consumer knowledge is critical to develop added-value strategies. The objective of this study was to identify 'Jalapeño' quality attributes to determine consumer preferences and willingness to pay, based on socioeconomic characteristics. METHODS: A nationwide face-to-face survey was carried out using the discrete choice experiment method. The survey included 1200 consumers stratified by gender, age and region. RESULTS: Heterogeneity analysis using the probabilistic segmentation model revealed three types of consumers: A price-sensitive segment, non-demanding consumers without specific preferences and selective consumers with a preference shifted toward specific 'Jalapeño' characteristics. Thus, detail-oriented producers must compete through price strategies, based on the marketplace (markets on wheels, grocery stores, or supermarkets) and through some quality attributes preferred by selective consumers. Therefore, results suggest that farmers should grow the correct varieties with appropriate agronomic management to cope consumer preferences. CONCLUSIONS: This paper contributes to the growing body of the 'Jalapeño' literature by explicitly investigating consumer preferences and willingness to pay for them.

Consumers' expectations and liking of traditional and innovative pork products from European autochthonous pig breeds.

The aim of the study was to ascertain the acceptability of Traditional (T) and Innovative (IT) pork products by European consumers considering also the influence of the sensory properties. The tests were performed in Barcelona, Bologna, Toulouse and Zagreb, with products from autochthonous pig breeds Porc Negre Mallorquí (patties), Cinta Senese (dry-fermented sausages), Gascon-Noir de Bigorre (dry-cured hams) and Turopolje (dry-cured hams), respectively. The methodological approach relied on the expectancy-disconfirmation model and the assimilation theory (blind, expected and informed tests). All consumers had a similar behaviour: higher expectations of T and IT differentiating them significantly from the remaining products, except in Barcelona test, because consumers in this city were not acquainted with the production system. Innovation in T products focusing on healthy and process innovation highlighted the need to provide information about the breed and the production system, but we can conclude that the sensory quality had a significant role on the preferences of consumers.

Health Innovation in Patty Products. The Role of Food Neophobia in Consumers' Non-Hypothetical Willingness to Pay, Purchase Intention and Hedonic Evaluation.

Consumers' personality traits are key factors in understanding consumers' choice and acceptance for health innovations in food products, in particular, food neophobia (FN). The patty product as a traditional pork product (TPP) with two innovative traditional pork products (ITPP) from the untapped pig breed (Porc Negre Mallorquí) in Spain were analysed. Patties were enriched with Porcini (Boletus edulis) using the claim "enriched with a natural source of dietary fiber Beta glucans that may contribute to improve our defence system" (ITPP1) and enriched with blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) using the claim "enriched with a natural source of antioxidant that may help to prevent cardiovascular diseases" (ITPP2). Two non-hypothetical discrete choice experiments were applied to investigate the importance of FN in consumers' purchase intention (PI) and willingness to pay (WTP) before and after tasting the products. Results showed that the TPP and the ITPP2 received higher than expected PI and WTP. However, after tasting the products, consumers exhibited lower WTP for all ITPP showing the prevalence of the sensory experience on health innovation. The FN was highly related to WTP before the hedonic evaluation. However, it turned out to be non-significant, showing a homogenising role of the sensory experience in reducing the FN impact.

Should Animal Welfare Regulations Be More Restrictive? A Case Study in Eight European Union Countries.

Increasingly, intensive livestock production systems have increased societal concern regarding the current animal welfare standards. We investigated whether individuals in their roles as consumers and citizens believe that the current European regulations regarding animal welfare should be more restrictive. Factors affecting this decision were assessed by analyzing respondents' understanding of animal welfare-related issues, their subjective and objective knowledge levels, the credibility they assign to different information sources, their perceptions toward the current restrictiveness of animal welfare standards, and their socioeconomic characteristics. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire distributed in eight European Union (EU) countries (Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Italy, and Sweden) with 3860 total responses. The results showed that consumers are more reluctant to adopt more restrictive regulations than respondents in the role of citizens. Respondents from northern European countries (Poland and Sweden) are more likely to support regulations that are more restrictive than the current minimum requirements than respondents from southern countries (Spain and Italy). Women were found to be more concerned with the welfare of pigs and laying hens-lending credibility to the Internet as an information source-and were more likely to support more restrictive animal welfare legislation.

Impact of hedonic evaluation on consumers' preferences for beef attributes including its enrichment with n-3 and CLA fatty acids.

The impact of hedonic evaluation on consumers' preferences for beef attributes was evaluated (origin, animal diet, fat content, color, price) including its enrichment with omega-3 (n-3) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) fatty acids. One group of consumers (n=325) received information about n-3 and CLA, while the other group (n=322) received no information. Consumers conducted a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE), using the recently developed Generalized Multinomial Logit model; followed by a blind hedonic evaluation of beef samples, which were identified after tasting, and finally repeated the DCE. Results showed that hedonic evaluation had a significant impact on consumers' preferences, which were similar after tasting for all consumers, with less emphasis on the fat content, color, and origin attributes and greater emphasis on animal diet. Preference for n-3 enriched beef increased, while preference for CLA enriched beef was still not significant after tasting. The information provided had a significant effect on consumers' beef preferences, but no significant impact on beef liking scores.

Health information impact on the relative importance of beef attributes including its enrichment with polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid).

This paper uses Choice Experiments (CE) to investigate Spanish consumers' preferences towards beef meat enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid). Data were gathered from self-completed questionnaires in a controlled environment with two different samples (320 and 322 consumers) differentiated by the information received. The surveys were carried out in three main Spanish cities (Barcelona, Zaragoza and Pamplona), representing the average consumer. A variation of the "Dual Response Choice Experiments" (DRCE) design was used due to its ability to emphasize the purchase context. Results showed that consumers who received information attach higher preference for enriched meat with polyunsaturated fatty acids. The utility associated with the higher content of fat increase for informed consumers, showing a substitute effect. Informed consumers are willing to accept meat with a higher amount of visible fat if it is enriched with beneficial fatty acids.

Effect of tasting and information on consumer opinion about pig castration.

Our research explored the relative importance of pig castration amongst other aspects of animal welfare, and the potential impact of information and sensory experiences on European Union (EU) consumers' preferences. The EU is considering a future ban on surgical pig castration by 2018 which may affect markets and consumers' preferences. We carried out an empirical study using consumer-level data obtained from questionnaires completed in a controlled environment by a total of 825 consumers. The experiment was carried out in six EU countries (Spain, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany) which account for 66.0% of the EU-27's and 76.3% of the EU-15's meat production. Results show that consumers do not perceive pig castration to be a relevant aspect of animal welfare nor its relationship with meat quality. Consumers with healthy life styles, concerned about animal welfare and who have had a negative sensory experience with boar meat are willing to accept paying more to avoid boar taint.