The current research introduces a novel relationship between consumer attitudes toward time and consumer well-being, connected to organic food consumption based on the findings from 206 American consumers. Consumer motivations to seek nutritional information appears as a mediator impacting organic food purchase intentions. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
On the one hand, organic food consumption has emerged as a rapidly growing consumption trend, juxtaposed against the unsustainability of industrialized food provisions. On the other hand, recent reports highlight that premium food consumption is one of the fastest growing luxury market segments worldwide. This paper draws on the theory of social practices in order investigate how organic food consumption can be understood as an emerging luxury fashion trend, comprised of multiple interrelated ‘nexuses of doings and sayings’ that represent the elements of, and situated within the broader context of consumer culture. In this endeavour, we have conducted a situated investigation of organic food consumption in South Korea. Our findings illustrate that Korean consumers engage in organic food consumption not merely for their superior health benefits or sustainability concerns. Instead, organic consumption conveys three distinct consumption value types – namely, functional (e.g., superior quality), experiential (e.g., feeling better about themselves because they purchase eco-friendly produce), and symbolic (e.g., allows them to convey their social status). Importantly, when these value types are taken together, they closely resemble the value derived from luxury fashion, which lead us to the conclusion that organic food consumption can be conceived as a particular type of luxury fashion trend. The paper concludes with the discussion of theoretical contributions and managerial implications.
This study conducted a survey to analyze awareness, preferences, and the current state of consuming environmentally friendly organic food while eating-out in 435 adults aged 20 and above in Daegu, Korea. Most subjects (95%) showed awareness of environmentally friendly organic food, and 88.5% of subjects answered environmentally friendly organic food is ‘needed’. The percentage of eating out for families was 58.9%, and 49.0% of subjects said they eat out one to three times per month on average. In addition, subjects preferred a price range between 10,000 and 20,000 won per person when eating out, and they mostly favored Korean restaurants when ordering environmentally friendly organic food. Analysis of awareness of environmentally friendly organic food showed that among ‘health’ factors, ‘environmental’ factors, ‘social’ factors, and ‘dietary essential’ factors, ‘health’ factors showed the highest percentage for awareness. A survey on preferred foods by gender showed that both genders preferred vegetables the most. The results show that subjects in their 20s and 30s favored vegetables and fruits while subjects in their 40s preferred vegetables and grain animal products. Analysis of preferred types of environmentally friendly organic foods showed that men preferred polished rice while women preferred brown rice. Subjects in their 20s and 30s preferred strawberries, whereas those in their 40s preferred cherry tomatoes and those in their 50s and above favored tomatoes (p<0.001). Among root and tuber crops (63.4%), sweet potato was the most preferred. Among fruits, subjects preferred apples while among special crops, they most preferred oyster mushrooms; both genders preferred Korean beef. The most preferred livestock product of subjects in their 20s was pork, whereas subjects in their 30s preferred Korean beef. Subjects in their 40s preferred Korean beef and pork in the same proportions, whereas subjects in their 50s and above favored eggs the most.
The purpose of this study was to investigate housewives' perception, interest and consumption of organic food, and to identify the variables influencing on them. The sample was selected from 411 housewives living in Seoul from 1st of September to 20th of September in 1993. Used statistical methods were frequency, percentage, mean, Cronbach's α, factor analys, ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, t-test, correlation, regression analysis and Path analysis. The major results are as follows: 1) Housewives' perception degree of organic food in its variety, easy availability and contribution to health was relatively high level, but price level, reliability and packing condition was somewhat low level. Out of housewives' many images of organic food, taste health care, quality and necessity factors can be implicated. 2) Housewives' interest degree of organic food is somewhat high level 3) Housewives' consumption degree of organic food was relatively low level and was affected by their perception of oraganic food. 4) Frequency to use seasonings was the major independent variable which influenced to housewives' perception degree of organic food, while recognition on enviornmental contamination was the major independent variable which influenced to their interest degree of organic food, and their total perception on organic food was the major independent variable which influenced to their consumption degree of oragnic food. Therefore, it is considered that their total perception to it can decide the demand of organic food 5) Housewives' perception and interest degree of it was the major intervening variable which influenced to their consumption degree of oragnic food.