Consumption market research was conducted on gradually increasing vegetarians using various selection attributes. Factors were extracted to identify vegetarian selection attributes and to divide the study cohort into groups, continuous variables (health, animal welfare, eco-friendliness, religion, familiarity, convenience, stability, and cost) and categorical variables (age, marital status, vegetarian duration, and vegetarian frequency) were simultaneously subjected to two-step cluster analysis. Cluster 1 contained high proportions of 20-29 and 30-39 year-olds, which are MZ-generation age groups. A high proportion had a vegetarian duration of 1-3 years, and the popular reasons for vegetarian selection were animal welfare and eco-friendliness. Cluster 2 contained high proportions of 50-59 and 40-49 year-olds, and many in this cluster were married, and mean vegetarian duration was ≥15 years. In addition, significant differences were observed between Clusters 1 and 2 in terms of religion, health, familiarity, cost, stability, and convenience. This study should contribute significantly to predicting vegetarian consumers’ selection decisions and consumption behaviors and provide reliable marketing data for foodservice companies that develop vegetarian foods.

This study was conducted to identify the choice attributes in the purchase of chocolate and to identify differences between the choices, by considering the purpose of purchase being self-gift or interpersonal gift. The preferred optional attributes considered and assessed were capacity, package, product composition, brand reputation, and sensuality. The survey included customers who purchased chocolates from June 1, 2017 to August 31, 2017. T-test was applied to verify the difference in optional attributes depending on the purpose of purchase. Our results indicate that people consider packages, product composition, and reputation for interpersonal gifts, and that Valentine's Day purchases are frequently for themselves and others' gifts. Our results will help to identify chocolate consumption behavior, and will facilitate in establishing chocolate product composition and development as well as brand positioning strategies, through factors affecting preferences based on the purpose of purchase.

This study separated different factors into the Korean Wave and Korean health food according to the interest in Korean culture among the Chinese living in China. We then conducted a two-step cluster analysis with gender, marriage status, academic background, interest in Korean culture, command of the Korean language and the status of having visited Korea as variables. The subjects were split into a Korean wave-preferring group, highly interested in Korean food as health food group and a low interested group according to clusters, and we then investigated for preference differences for 20 Korean food dishes. Between these two groups the statistics indicated a significant influence with a level p<0.001 for Bulgogi, Bibimbap, Kimchi, Galbi-tang, Galbi-gui, Chicken, Samgyepsal, Doenjang-Jjgae, Dak-galbi, Japchae and Gimbap p<0.01 for Samgye-tang and p<0.05 for Naengmyeon, Kimchi-Jjigae, Dak-galbi, Seolleongtang, Haemul-tang, Hanjeongsik and Tteok-bokki. Jeon and Juk did not show any statistically significant difference. Chinese consumers preferred Korean food for Samgyeopsal, Bulgogi and chicken and less preferred gruel, Hanjeongsik and Kimchi-Jjigae. The highly interested in Korean culture group preferred Samgyeopal, Bulgogi and Chicken, and less preferred Juk, Jeon and Hanjeonsik in that order. This study offers information on the Chinese’s preference for different Korean food to any food service enterprises that manage Korean restaurants in China or that sell Korean cuisine and also basic data for differentiated marketing to those entering the Chinese market.