Consumer Preferences for Superfood Ingredients—the Case of Bread in Germany

Stephan G.H. Meyerding, Annemone Kürzdörfer and Birgit Gassler
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Stephan G.H. Meyerding: Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Marketing for Food and Agricultural Products, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen; 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Annemone Kürzdörfer: Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Marketing for Food and Agricultural Products, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen; 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Birgit Gassler: Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Marketing for Food and Agricultural Products, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen; 37073 Göttingen, Germany

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: Although there is no legal definition of the word ‘superfood’, in recent years exotic foods and ingredients have become popular in German food retailers. The aim of the study was to determine consumer preferences for superfood ingredients in different types of bread; to accomplish this, a choice experiment was set up with a representative sample of 503 German consumers. Respondents had to choose between products with varying attributes such as type of bread, superfood ingredient, nutritional information, production method, durability, and price. The results indicate that consumers value bread that serves a functional purpose through superfood ingredients such as linseed or chia. Using latent class segmentation, the respondents were divided into four segments, of which three groups valued bread with superfood ingredients. All in all, the type of bread is the most important factor when choosing a bread. Further market research could take into account different types of superfoods (processed/unprocessed), as well as regional deviations in Germany and the EU member states to analyze differences regarding the market potential of staple foods such as bread that serve a functional purpose through superfood ingredients.

Keywords: discrete choice experiment; latent class segmentation; functional foods; consumer behavior; health consciousness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4667-:d:188851

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