Consumers’ Brand Preferences for Infant Formula: A Grounded Theory Approach

Yaru Tian, Hua Peng, Xiaoxia Dong, Liwang Li and Wenqi Zhu
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Yaru Tian: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100098, China
Hua Peng: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100098, China
Xiaoxia Dong: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100098, China
Liwang Li: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100098, China
Wenqi Zhu: Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100098, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-16

Abstract: In recent years, the market pattern of infant formula in China has changed dramatically. The market share of domestic infant formula has exceeded that of imports. The essence of the market share change of domestic and foreign brands is the change of consumers’ brand preferences. To explore which factors affected consumers’ brand preferences, our study conducted a qualitative research method based on the grounded theory, through in-depth interviews with 60 mothers in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, systematically identifying the factors which affect consumers’ brand preferences for infant formula, which allowed us to establish a theoretical model for them. We found that product characteristics and external environmental factors could directly affect the formation of consumers’ brand preferences, or indirectly through the two intermediary factors of buyers and users. In addition, in the consumption of infant formula, buyers and users were separated, and infants, as actual users, were an important factor that could not be ignored in brand preference.

Keywords: infant formula; consumers’ brand preferences; influencing factors; grounded theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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