Stated choice experimentation, contextual influences and food choice: A case study

This paper presents a framework for the use of stated choice experimentation to study food choice and applies it in a case study that explores how consumers take product characteristics, as well as the situational and social context into consideration when making choices among different types of fresh fruit eating occasions. Specifically, an experimental design that varied the eating context across (but not within) choice sets was developed. To approximate actual choice situations as much as possible, a labelled experiment was used and the powerful mixed logit model provided a behaviourally sound approach to data analysis. Evidence is presented of complexity of choice behaviour and of the influence eating occasion context exerted on choice behaviour. The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential to use stated choice experimentation to study food choice behaviour and offers suggestions for future research. These include exploration of heterogeneity among consumers with respect to the influence context factors exert, and gaining greater insight to the decision processes underlying choice decisions.

[1]  K. Train.  Discrete Choice Methods with Simulation , 2003 .

[2]  A. Buss,et al.  Consciousness of Body: Private and Public , 1981 .

[3]  Rajdeep Grewal,et al.  Incentive-Aligned Conjoint Analysis , 2005 .

[4]  D. Hensher.  How do respondents process stated choice experiments? Attribute consideration under varying information load , 2006 .

[5]  D. Hensher,et al.  Stated Choice Methods: Analysis and Applications , 2000 .

[6]  F. M. Kramer,et al.  A comparison between liking ratings obtained under laboratory and field conditions: the role of choice , 2005, Appetite.

[7]  Michel Wedel,et al.  Profile Construction in Experimental Choice Designs for Mixed Logit Models , 2002 .

[8]  H. Meiselman,et al.  The contextual basis for food acceptance, food choice and food intake: the food, the situation and the individual , 1996 .

[9]  M. Wedel,et al.  Designing Conjoint Choice Experiments Using Managers' Prior Beliefs , 2001 .

[10]  J. Halton.  A Retrospective and Prospective Survey of the Monte Carlo Method , 1970 .

[11]  B. Kahn,et al.  The Impact of Context on Variety Seeking in Product Choices , 1995 .

[12]  C. Bhat.  Simulation estimation of mixed discrete choice models using randomized and scrambled Halton sequences , 2003 .

[13]  Philippe Aurier,et al.  Consideration Set Size and Familiarity With Usage Context , 2000 .

[14]  Leon G. Higley,et al.  Forensic Entomology: An Introduction , 2009 .

[15]  L. Thurstone.  A law of comparative judgment. , 1994 .

[16]  C. Petit,et al.  Testing consumer preferences for iced-coffee: Does the drinking environment have any influence? , 2007 .

[17]  Leonard M. Lodish,et al.  Comparing Dynamic Consumer Choice in Real and Computer-simulated Environments , 1992 .

[18]  David A. Hensher,et al.  IDENTIFYING THE INFLUENCE OF STATED CHOICE DESIGN DIMENSIONALITY ON WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS , 2004 .

[19]  N. Stroebele,et al.  Effect of ambience on food intake and food choice. , 2004, Nutrition.

[20]  Caroline M. Saunders,et al.  Process Versus Product: Which Determines Consumer Demand for Genetically Modified Apples? , 2005 .

[21]  Jill J. McCluskey,et al.  Are Stated Preferences Good Predictors of Market Behavior? , 2003, Land Economics.

[22]  Donald A. Anderson,et al.  Designs of Discrete Choice Set Experiments for Estimating Both Attribute and Availability Cross Effects , 1994 .

[23]  John M. Rose,et al.  Recovering costs through price and service differentiation: accounting for exogenous information on attribute processing strategies in airline choice , 2005 .

[24]  Robert E. Krider,et al.  Pizzas: p or Square? Psychophysical Biases in Area Comparisons , 2001 .

[25]  W. Greene,et al.  Deriving Willingness-to-Pay Estimates of Travel-Time Savings from Individual-Based Parameters , 2006 .

[26]  Mark J. Garratt,et al.  Efficient Experimental Design with Marketing Research Applications , 1994 .

[27]  D. McFadden.  Conditional logit analysis of qualitative choice behavior , 1972 .

[28]  K. Train,et al.  Joint mixed logit models of stated and revealed preferences for alternative-fuel vehicles , 1999, Controlling Automobile Air Pollution.

[29]  Piet Rietveld,et al.  Stated Choice Experiments with Repeated Observations , 1996 .

[30]  S. Jaeger,et al.  Preferences in pear appearance and response to novelty among Australian and New Zealand consumers , 2006 .

[31]  Richard T. Carson,et al.  Experimental analysis of choice , 1991 .

[32]  Jordan J. Louviere,et al.  Using Discrete Choice Models with Experimental Design Data to Forecast Consumer Demand for a Unique Cultural Event , 1983 .

[33]  Kate M. Owen,et al.  One Little Lebanese Cucumber is Not Going to Break the Bank: Price in the Choice of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables , 2002 .

[34]  J. Bennett,et al.  The choice modelling approach to environmental valuation , 2001 .

[35]  Mandy Ryan,et al.  Using conjoint analysis to establish consumer preferences for fruit and vegetables , 1996 .

[36]  I. Hodge,et al.  Are stated preferences convergent with revealed preferences? Empirical evidence from Nigeria , 2006 .

[37]  P. Stratton,et al.  Families» Accounts of the Causal Processes in Food Choice , 1999, Appetite.

[38]  Jordan J. Louviere,et al.  Introduction to Attribute-Based Stated Choice Methods , 1998 .

[39]  Herbert L. Meiselman,et al.  The effects of contextual variables on food acceptability: A confirmatory study , 2007 .

[40]  Rick Bell,et al.  Effects of Adding an Italian Theme to a Restaurant on the Perceived Ethnicity, Acceptability, and Selection of Foods , 1994, Appetite.

[41]  J De Dios Ortuzar,et al.  INTERACTIONS AND INDEPENDENCE IN STATED PREFERENCE MODELLING , 1997 .

[42]  R. A. Bradley,et al.  Rank Analysis of Incomplete Block Designs: I. The Method of Paired Comparisons , 1952 .

[43]  S. Jaeger,et al.  Tradeoffs between emotional and sensory perceptions of freshness influence the price consumers will pay for apples: Results from an experimental market , 2006 .

[44]  Juan de Dios Ortúzar,et al.  Willingness-to-Pay Estimation with Mixed Logit Models: Some New Evidence , 2005 .

[45]  R. Duncan Luce,et al.  Individual Choice Behavior , 1959 .

[46]  L. A. Pervin.  Definitions, measurements, and classifications of stimuli, situations, and environments , 1975 .

[47]  U. Enneking,et al.  How important intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes affect purchase decision , 2007 .

[48]  Julien Delarue,et al.  Central location test vs. home use test: Contrasting results depending on product type , 2007 .

[49]  John M. Rose,et al.  Accounting for heterogeneity in the variance of unobserved effects in mixed logit models , 2006 .

[50]  R. Sandell.  Effects of Attitudinal and Situational Factors on Reported Choice Behavior , 1968 .

[51]  H. Macfie,et al.  Food Choice, Acceptance and Consumption , 1996 .

[52]  Paula Iragüen,et al.  Willingness-to-pay for reducing fatal accident risk in urban areas: an Internet-based Web page stated preference survey. , 2004, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[53]  Zsolt Sándor,et al.  Quasi-random simulation of discrete choice models , 2004 .

[54]  John M. Rose,et al.  THE DESIGN OF STATED CHOICE EXPERIMENTS: THE STATE OF PRACTICE AND FUTURE CHALLENGES , 2004 .

[55]  Jordan J. Louviere,et al.  Design and Analysis of Simulated Consumer Choice or Allocation Experiments: An Approach Based on Aggregate Data , 1983 .

[56]  James B. Wiley,et al.  Efficient choice set designs for estimating availability cross-effects models , 1992 .

[57]  S. Jaeger,et al.  Consumer Perceptions and Preferences for Kiwifruit: a Review , 2007 .

[58]  J. Herriges,et al.  Combining Revealed and Stated Preferences: Consistency Tests and Their Interpretations , 2003 .

[59]  David A. Hensher,et al.  Revealing Differences in Willingness to Pay due to the Dimensionality of Stated Choice Designs: An Initial Assessment , 2006 .

[60]  Juan de Dios Ortúzar,et al.  Valuing Noise Level Reductions in a Residential Location Context , 2005 .

[61]  Sara R. Jaeger,et al.  Methodological issues in conjoint analysis: a case study , 2001 .

[62]  Tormod Næs,et al.  Effect of contextual factors on liking for wine—use of robust design methodology , 2003 .

[63]  Joffre Swait,et al.  Using stated preference and revealed preference modeling to evaluate prescribing decisions. , 2004, Health economics.

[64]  Harald Niederreiter,et al.  Implementation and tests of low-discrepancy sequences , 1992, TOMC.

[65]  D. Ariely,et al.  Sequential Choice in Group Settings: Taking the Road Less Traveled and Less Enjoyed , 2000 .

[66]  Sara R. Jaeger,et al.  Consumer perceptions of novel fruit and familiar fruit: a repertory grid application , 2005 .

[67]  M C Bliemer,et al.  Efficient Designs for Alternative Specific Choice Experiments , 2005 .

[68]  Joel Huber,et al.  The Importance of Utility Balance in Efficient Choice Designs , 1996 .

[69]  R. Deliza,et al.  Consumer research: extrinsic variables in food studies , 2006 .

[70]  P. Pliner,et al.  Influence of social norms and palatability on amount consumed and food choice , 2004, Appetite.

[71]  D. McFadden.  The Choice Theory Approach to Market Research , 1986 .

[72]  David A. Hensher,et al.  The Mixed Logit Model: the State of Practice and Warnings for the Unwary , 2001 .

[73]  Sara R. Jaeger,et al.  Uncovering cultural differences in choice behaviour between Samoan and New Zealand consumers: a case study with apples. , 2000 .

[74]  K. Lancaster.  A New Approach to Consumer Theory , 1966, Journal of Political Economy.

[75]  Andrew Daly,et al.  Estimating “tree” logit models , 1987 .

[76]  R. A. Bradley,et al.  RANK ANALYSIS OF INCOMPLETE BLOCK DESIGNS THE METHOD OF PAIRED COMPARISONS , 1952 .

[77]  P. Quester,et al.  The influence of consumption situation and product involvement over consumers’ use of product attribute , 1998 .

[78]  John M. Rose,et al.  Applied Choice Analysis: A Primer , 2005 .

[79]  Klaus F. Zimmermann,et al.  Frontiers in economics , 2002 .

[80]  David A. Hensher,et al.  Development of Commuter and Non-Commuter Mode Choice Models for the Assessment of New Public Transport Infrastructure Projects: A Case Study , 2007 .

[81]  Jordan J. Louviere,et al.  A test of policy labels in environmental choice modelling studies , 2000 .

[82]  Barbara Kanninen,et al.  Optimal Design for Multinomial Choice Experiments , 2002 .

[83]  J. Rose,et al.  Means matter, but variance matter too: Decomposing response latency influences on variance heterogeneity in stated preference experiments , 2006 .

[84]  Kirk L. Wakefield,et al.  Situational price sensitivity: the role of consumption occasion, social context and income , 2003 .

[85]  C. Devine,et al.  Dimensions of everyday eating and drinking episodes , 2007, Appetite.

[86]  D. McFadden,et al.  MIXED MNL MODELS FOR DISCRETE RESPONSE , 2000 .

[87]  Mohamed Abdel-Aty,et al.  USING STATED PREFERENCE DATA FOR STUDYING THE EFFECT OF ADVANCED TRAFFIC INFORMATION ON DRIVERS' ROUTE CHOICE , 1997 .

[88]  Cinzia Cirillo,et al.  ELIMINATING BIAS DUE TO THE REPEATED MEASUREMENTS PROBLEM IN SP DATA , 1996 .

[89]  F. Carlsson,et al.  Consumer Benefits of Labels and Bans on GM Foods—Choice Experiments with Swedish Consumers , 2007 .

[90]  Mark Hansen,et al.  Analysis of Discrete Choice Data with Repeated Observations: Comparison of Three Techniques in Intercity Travel Case , 1997 .

[91]  R. E. Witt.  Informal Social Group Influence on Consumer Brand Choice , 1969 .

[92]  John S. A. Edwards,et al.  The influence of positive and negative cues on restaurant food choice and food acceptance , 2005 .

[93]  John M. Rose,et al.  The implications on willingness to pay of a stochastic treatment of attribute processing in stated choice studies , 2007 .

[94]  Peter Zweifel,et al.  Validity of discrete-choice experiments evidence for health risk reduction , 2007 .

[95]  Jeffrey Bennett,et al.  Yea-saying and Validation of a Choice Model of Green Product Choice , 2001 .