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People demonstrate indirect support for a nation's identity by consuming products representing their nationality. In such context, this article focuses on how people react toward brands with national associations when the nation faces threats perpetrated by institutions. Institutions are important as they are one of the core elements defining national identity. Institutional threats to national identity can come from within the nation (internal threat) and from outside (external threat). Weekly supermarket scanner data from 2004 showed that sales of American-sounding brands declined in counties that saw higher coverage of the Abu Ghraib prison torture scandal (internal threat), and sales of American-sounding brands increased in counties with more war casualties (external threat). Seven additional experiments demonstrated that (1) self-enhancement derived from national identity mediates these main effects, (2) advertisements that refocus attention on how the brand helps cope with external threats mitigate the negative effects of internal threats for American brands, and (3) such advertisements do not mitigate the negative effects of internal threats for non-American brands. Qualitative surveys (N = 218), surveys (N = 1,603), experiments (N = 3,123), and secondary data analyses (encompassing sales of over 8,000 brands across more than 1,100 U.S. stores) were used to triangulate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of actual transactions in a grocery store shows that households enrolled in the U.S. government's Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) purchase more unhealthy hedonic food, compared with households that do not receive SNAP benefits. SNAP households purchased more unhealthy hedonic food regardless of whether they used government funds or cash to pay for their purchases. Three follow-up simulated grocery shopping studies were designed to understand the mechanisms underlying this food consumption pattern by SNAP households. SNAP households, compared with households that do not receive SNAP benefits, reported stronger food craving. Stronger food craving was associated with lower unhealthiness perception of hedonic food. Overall, the results suggest that food cravings can reduce perceptions of unhealthiness and thus increase unhealthy food purchases. Interventions that reduce the effect of food cravings on shopping decisions might reduce unhealthy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers have an aversion to purchasing near-expiry food products, which leads to enormous food waste and economic loss. Given the importance of this issue, past research has studied the effect of impending expiration date on product sales, but its focus has been limited to perishable food products. Since the expiration dates of non-perishable food products are treated as less important than those of perishable food products, we expect that the resulting effect on sales largely varies by shopping environment. With the growing importance of online shopping in food sales, we examine how the effect of impending expiration date differs between mobile and PC shopping environments. By analyzing a unique data set from an online salvage store, we find that consumer aversion toward near-expiry products is more salient in the PC shopping environment than in the mobile shopping environment. However, when there is a deeper price promotion, the between-channel difference is reduced as the sensitivity of an impending expiration date on sales increases in the mobile shopping environment. These findings not only represent novel contributions to the literature but also provide managerial implications for practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks at the intersection of gender, politics and domesticity in the context of Arab Socialist planning in Egypt by analysing the advice given to women around food shopping and preparation in the 1960s. Discourses around food provision and consumption as a crucial component of socialist domesticity and of state intervention positioned women at the centre of the Nasserist project – as its symbols, beneficiaries, agents and occasionally, as its antagonists. Women – housewives in particular – were responsible, in a multitude of ways for making Arab socialism comfortable and, in the case of food shopping and preparation, palatable in the context of increasing economic austerity. I argue that cooking advice, found chiefly in the women’s press but also in cookbooks, popular culture, the educational system and government discourses around food purchasing under socialism politicised the figure of the housewife in new ways, as both as a beneficiary of the food supply program and as a political subject charged with the success of Arab socialist planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere remains the number one Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Governments face challenges in measuring socioeconomic status with fine spatial resolution because traditional data collection methods, such as censuses and surveys, are time-consuming, labor-intensive, performed at long intervals, and cover only a limited population. This work is a data-driven study to analyze the digital traces left by humans in supermarket transactions and model the relationship between consumption behavior and the average per capita income, proposing a proxy to estimate socioeconomic status at the urban neighborhood level. We analyze more than 20 million supermarket shopping transactions in Guayaquil, the most populated city in Ecuador. Using customer consumption data, we created a basket graph and fed it into a graph neural network to predict neighborhood socioeconomic status. The model was trained with spectral and spatial convolutional filters using cross-validation to select the best approach for the prediction. The results show that the Chebyshev spectral convolutional filter has the highest predictive power to predict the socioeconomic status of the neighborhood, with R 2 = 0.91 . Our proposed approach contributes to measuring socioeconomic status at the neighborhood level to support policymakers in making informed decisions about resource allocation according to the needs of different geographical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dutch adolescents predominantly purchase unhealthy snacks in supermarkets, which negatively influence their health. The aim of this study was to investigate the short- and longer-term effects of a nutrition peer-education intervention in supermarkets on food purchases and determinants of food purchase behaviour among adolescents of different education levels. Methods: We performed a quasi-experimental study in three supermarkets (two intervention and one comparison school) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The intervention schools received a 45-min peer-education workshop in the supermarket near their school, and the comparison school received no intervention. The workshops also included a 2-week 'healthy snacking challenge' and were led by two young supermarket employees. Measurements were performed 2 weeks before the intervention (T0) 2 weeks after (T1) and 3 months (T2) after the intervention. Cash receipts were used to examine food purchases (n = 458) and questionnaires to examine determinants of food purchase behaviour (n = 463). Results: The nutrition peer-education intervention did not improve food purchases but did improve several determinants of food purchase behaviour. Adolescents from the intervention schools reported improved nutritional knowledge (β = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.04–0.72) at T1, more favourable attitudes (β = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.00–0.42) and stronger social support (β = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.02–0.53) for healthy food purchases at T2 compared to those from the comparison schools. Adolescents with a low level of education reported more short- and longer-term improvements of determinants of food purchase behaviour compared to those with a higher level of education. Conclusions: While nutrition peer education in supermarkets did not improve adolescents' food purchases in the supermarket, determinants of food purchase behaviour did improve. The intervention was especially effective among adolescents with a low level of education. Nevertheless, to promote healthy food purchases of adolescents in supermarkets, more efforts are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of food delivery apps by Indian consumers has gained momentum, especially during COVID-19. However, after the pandemic, home delivery continued to grow and become a significant part of the restaurant business. The current paper explores the adoption of apps by consumers, supported by the Theory of Planned Behavior. It also investigates the impact of perceived innovativeness, utilitarian motivation of price options, utilitarian motivation of food choices, and hedonic motivations on attitude and intention to use the app. The ease of use and its impact on perceived behavioral control and intention to use are also investigated. The study also investigated how trust influences intentions to use the app and the impact of food safety and food delivery risk perception on trust and intention to use it. Findings show that hedonic and utilitarian attributes impact consumers, food safety, and trust when ordering food online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine how estimates of household food demand elasticities and store profit margins vary with alternative geographic market extents using structural models of household store choice and retailer competition. Our consumer store choice model is novel, simultaneously accounting for the heterogeneity of store choice sets, households' travel distance to stores, and their store‐specific shopping basket prices. We estimate the models using a unique combination of datasets on grocery purchases. We find that the geographic market extent is positively associated with household demand elasticity and negatively associated with store profit margins. The maximum market extent at which changes in demand elasticities become statistically insignificant varies by retailers, ranging between 10 and 16 km. These findings are robust to alternative assumptions of store competition. Our results imply that overlooking the locality of retail competition can result in overestimating the magnitudes of household demand elasticities while underestimating store profit margins, characterizing a relatively more competitive market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how economic and environmental concerns, along with online food shopping habits, influence consumer efforts to reduce household food waste, directly and through food-related lifestyles. Using SEM analysis on data from a survey of 1000 Italian respondents aged 18–70, our findings highlight that economic concern positively impacts waste avoidance efforts, while environmental concern does so indirectly via frugal shopping and greater use of food information. However, online shopping seems to lower commitment to waste avoidance, by fostering impulsive buying. Our study offers a comprehensive model integrating psychological factors, social practices, and lifestyles, especially relevant in disruptive scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging consumption of plant-based food products can help mitigate the impact of dietary choices on climate change. Research suggests that modifying environments in which people make purchasing decisions has the potential to achieve behavioral changes toward sustainable consumption. We examine the impact of two behavioral interventions, carbon footprint labeling, and product categorization, to promote sustainable food selection in an online grocery shopping environment. Online grocery shopping data collected from 2,359 US participants show that carbon footprint labels increased the selection of plant-based food products by 37% and categorization increased it by 25%. A combination of both nudges increased plant-based food selection by 32%. Participants underestimated the environmental impact of different types of foods despite exposure to carbon footprint information. As the global market for online grocery shopping continues to grow, this study presents a potential for simple and scalable interventions in online shopping environments to encourage sustainable choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the aim was to identify and quantify antibiotic residues in pork meat samples of supermarkets and butcher shops of two main cities in northeast Mexico, using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS). The results shown seven antibiotic residues detected in the samples. Ampicillin was the main antibiotic with a higher positive rate (>59%) in supermarkets and butcher shops. Tetracycline and sulfamethazine had a high positive rate (>25%). Finally, the quantification of antibiotics shown a high positive rate of samples that exceed the minimum residues limits (MRL). The high positive rate of antibiotic residues in this study suggests an inadequate management in the food industry and represents a potential risk for the human health in the northeast from Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides nutritious foods to more than six million low-income families. In June 2021, WIC increased the amount of money provided for fruits and vegetables (FV), but studies have not investigated whether this increase changed WIC participant FV purchases. The objective was to estimate the association between the FV funding increase and WIC shopper FV purchases. This evaluation uses longitudinal food transaction data from 496 stores in a grocery store chain in North Carolina between June 2020 and April 2022 and a propensity score weighted difference-in-differences (DID) approach to estimate the association between the FV funding increase and FV and other food group purchases. Analyses were conducted in 2023 and 2024. WIC shoppers' WIC-eligible FV purchases increased by $12.4 per shopper per month (adjusted confidence interval [ACI], $12.0–$12.9) after the FV benefit increase, which was $9.3 (ACI, $8.7–$10.0) more than non-WIC shoppers. The monthly volume and unique varieties of FV purchased also increased more among WIC shoppers relative to non-WIC shoppers (DID 67.1 ounces [ACI, 61.9–72.3] and DID 2.1 varieties [ACI, 2.0–2.3]). There were also increases in the volume of processed foods (DID 22.0 ounces [ACI, 17.2, 26.9]) and sugar-sweetened beverages (DID 49.1 ounces [ACI, 33.4, 64.9]) purchased among WIC shoppers relative to non-WIC shoppers. Increased WIC FV funding was associated with greater FV purchases. Research is needed to understand the effects of this policy on total dietary intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the factors that influence sustainable consumer purchasing behaviour in the food and everyday products market, which can be used to influence consumer purchasing patterns toward sustainable consumption. The factors commonly observed to influence purchasing decisions, such as price, quality, packaging, and brand, were complemented by factors such as sustainable production, nutritional composition, health benefits, and the product's origin. These additional factors also exert a significant influence on consumer purchasing decisions. A principal component analysis (PCA) identified four determinants of sustainable consumer purchasing behaviour (Product Features, Environmental Responsibility, Comfort and Accessibility, and Pricing). The influence of determinants on real, sustainable purchasing behaviour is evaluated using a PLS-SEM model. The PLS-SEM structural modelling demonstrated a significant impact of all determinants on real, sustainable purchasing behaviour. The first determinant (Product Features) indicates that an individual's rational behaviour is related to sustainability. These variables relate to product quality, nutritional composition, origin, health benefits, and product breadth. Additionally, they reflect attitudes toward life values and norms. Determinant Environmental Responsibility reflects the importance of sustainable practices by both manufacturers and retailers as perceived by consumers. Determinant Comfort and Accessibility encompass the variables most influenced by those who create the external shopping environment, control the marketing tools, and sellers that address the customer (point of sale, accessibility, loyalty to the chain, etc.). The last determinant (Pricing) represents rational decision-making and is subject to the consumer's financial circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's marketing landscape, social media influencers influence consumer perceptions, emotions, and purchasing decisions. This study seeks to delve into how the attributes of food influencers, such as perceived enjoyment, professionalism, and credibility, impact consumer engagement and behavioral intentions towards food products. The current study employed an empirical design, utilizing an online questionnaire survey. 386 participants took part in the survey, yielding 298 valid responses. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to evaluate the hypotheses. The survey results indicate that perceived enjoyment and perceived professionalism significantly impact engagement with influencers, which, in turn, positively influences behavioral intentions. Additionally, perceived credibility did not affect the followers' behavioral intentions. This study adds to the understanding of food influencers, exploring how consumer engagement with food influences their behavioral intentions. Specifically, food influencers' personality attributes have not been thoroughly examined in the context of food influencer behavior until now. This research employs the principles of uses and gratification theory to shed light on this previously unexplored area. This study explains that food influencers must try to engage consumers emotionally with professional content to influence purchase intentions emotionally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental attitude, value and awareness are widely believed to help reach the goal of cutting global food waste, but these psychological and cognitive factors are not always good predictors of wasteful behaviours. Notably, it is still unclear how the role of pro-environmental attitude (PEA) in reducing household food waste (HFW) changes with grocery shopping distance. To this end, using 7319 households survey data from China, this study investigates the moderating effect of shopping distance on the link between PEA and HFW behaviour. The results of Tobit regressions show that PEA is an important predictor of actual HFW behaviour in the absence of the constraint of shopping distance. However, the expansion of shopping distance will weaken the positive role of PEA in reducing HFW. It indicates that, due to the temporal and financial constraints generated by shopping distance, there is a certain degree of hypothetical deviation between the wasteful behaviours that individuals actually exhibit and their stated PEA. Our findings, from the perspective of the moderating effect of shopping distance, explain why some individuals deviate from their stated PEA in HFW behaviour, which provides a new insight into the generation of 'attitude–behaviour' gap. Therefore, policy interventions that merely enhancing environmental education may have limited effect on reducing food waste; instead, the promotion of citizen environmental ethics should be combined with efforts to improve the accessibility of retail infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging walking to grocery stores can enhance environmental sustainability by reducing vehicle emissions and easing traffic congestion. While research has largely focused on measurable factors like distance and physical accessibility, less attention has been paid to how perceived built environments and personal attitudes affect walking behavior. This study delves into how socio-demographic traits, social influences, and perceived built environments influence walking decisions. The key findings reveal that factors such as ethnicity and income significantly impact decisions to walk, with well-maintained sidewalks enhancing appeal and obstacles like construction serving as deterrents. Positive attitudes towards walking further encourage this behavior, underscoring the need for targeted public health interventions. These insights are crucial for designing communities that support walking, ultimately improving community health and environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines weekly shopping trips of young families using a multi‐perspective approach that considers psychological personality traits, situational influences, and socio‐demographic factors to explain food purchases. Over a period of 4 weeks, the data of 60 shoppers and their families as well as 217 purchases were recorded using questionnaires and receipts. Analysis showed that personality traits and socio‐demographic data are good predictors of food purchases. The study provides insights into the complexity of shopping behavior, shows the need for multi‐perspective approaches, and enables the derivation of strategies to optimize healthy shopping behavior for young families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of the technologies and services associated with online grocery shopping. The progress in the field of online grocery shopping has been very rapid in recent years. Hence, there was a need to systematize knowledge about the latest various solutions used in this topic. The authors searched the internet, focusing on websites of different supermarkets, shops, and other services that offer online shopping, as well as reviewed scientific papers. Based on the collected material, the authors created four thematic parts, which include: (1) supermarket services; (2) dedicated grocery delivery services and farm-to-table; (3) shopping in Virtual Reality and the metaverse; smart devices and (4) AI in food ordering—the last part includes smart devices, such as smart refrigerators, ovens, their functionality, and the services connected with them. The authors refer to 243 sources. The research includes the three following objectives: (1) exploring and presenting the emerging applied ways of online grocery shopping, (2) exploring and presenting the latest technological advances related to the digitalization of grocery shopping, (3) discussing the upcoming technologies, services, and methods in online grocery shopping. This paper provides knowledge about a wide range of solutions offered by both supermarkets and stores (e.g., shopping applications, VR applications, metaverse shopping) and other companies (e.g., deliveries, product tracking), highlighting the numerous functions available thanks to smart devices (e.g., voice control, own shopping lists, control of products, their quantities and expiration dates, management of user preferences, and many more). This paper also discusses social issues related to the presented solutions, such as their influence on consumer behavior, barriers to adoption, and the associated challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grocery stockpiling is a common behavioral response to the emergence of disasters or heightened uncertainty. Nonetheless, the phenomenon and methods for mitigating it are not well understood. Using a model of household shopping and inventory management, we conceptualize stockpiling as a result of an increase in the fixed cost of making grocery shopping trips, or the opportunity cost of time associated with shopping. In a laboratory experiment, we find that stockpiling increases (decreases) by 78 and 41% (22%) with an increase in fixed costs and price reductions (imposition of purchase limits), respectively. We also find that stockpiling leads to fewer (more) grocery trips by 33 and 22% (36%) under the same three conditions, respectively. Our experiment and subsequent cluster analysis suggest that loss aversion suppresses stockpiling. Our experiment shows that imposing purchase limits, a common retail response to stock‐outs, can trigger stockpiling during shopping trips without purchase limits. Although we do not claim external validity, our study suggests that store managers and policymakers should be careful about solutions during a stockpiling event, such that they do not exacerbate stockpiling, which may disproportionately affect vulnerable groups and disrupt supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Background Method Results Conclusion Guided by the life‐course principles of linked lives embedded in historical time and place, we investigated whether nonresident adult children provided financial and time assistance to parents in response to their needs during the COVID‐19 pandemic.Adult children are an important source of support for older adults during crises, yet their ability to help parents may have been constrained during the pandemic.Data were extracted from the 2016, 2018, and 2020 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We employed three analytic strategies. First, we examined how nonresident adult children responded to parental needs during the pandemic. Second, we compared the financial and time assistance received during the pandemic with earlier periods. Third, we assessed whether support patterns varied depending on the severity of the pandemic in places where parents lived. All analyses used linear probability models, adjusting for pre‐pandemic characteristics.Parents facing economic hardship more often received money help and those experiencing difficulty buying food for nonfinancial reasons more often received time help from adult children compared to those without such challenges. Moreover, both financial and time assistance from adult children increased during the pandemic compared to pre‐pandemic levels. Hardships increased the probability of receiving money and time help from adult children when parents lived in areas with a high level of pandemic severity.Adult children became more responsive to parental needs during the COVID‐19 pandemic, underscoring the importance of linked lives across generations during times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this paper, we propose a Bayesian causal mediation approach to the analysis of experimental data when both the outcome and the mediator are measured through structured questionnaires based on Likert-scaled inquiries. Our estimation strategy builds upon the error-in-variables literature and, specifically, it leverages Item Response Theory to explicitly model the observed surrogate mediator and outcome measures. We employ their elicited latent counterparts in a simple g-computation algorithm, where we exploit the fundamental identifying assumptions of causal mediation analysis to impute all the relevant counterfactuals and estimate the causal parameters of interest. We finally devise a sensitivity analysis procedure to test the robustness of the proposed methods to the restrictive requirement of mediator’s conditional ignorability. We demonstrate the functioning of our proposed methodology through an empirical application using survey data from an online experiment on food purchasing intentions and the effect of different labeling regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Latent Dirichlet Location (LDA) model is a popular method for creating mixed-membership clusters. Despite having been originally developed for text analysis, LDA has been used for a wide range of other applications. We propose a new formulation for the LDA model which incorporates covariates. In this model, a negative binomial regression is embedded within LDA, enabling straight-forward interpretation of the regression coefficients and the analysis of the quantity of cluster-specific elements in each sampling units (instead of the analysis being focused on modeling the proportion of each cluster, as in Structural Topic Models). We use slice sampling within a Gibbs sampling algorithm to estimate model parameters. We rely on simulations to show how our algorithm is able to successfully retrieve the true parameter values and the ability to make predictions for the abundance matrix using the information given by the covariates. The model is illustrated using real data sets from three different areas: text-mining of Coronavirus articles, analysis of grocery shopping baskets, and ecology of tree species on Barro Colorado Island (Panama). This model allows the identification of mixed-membership clusters in discrete data and provides inference on the relationship between covariates and the abundance of these clusters. HIGHLIGHTS: We propose a new formulation for the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model which incorporates covariates. Our extension enables a straight-forward interpretation of the regression coefficients and the analysis of the quantity of cluster-specific elements in each sampling unit - including the prediction of these quantities in a new sample through covariates. We illustrate the benefits of this formulation using three data sets: text-mining of Coronavirus articles, analysis of grocery shopping baskets, and ecology of tree species in Barro Colorado Island. We provide an R package that enables users to readily apply our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable diets can achieve considerable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in human health, but changing dietary behavior remains a challenge. We assessed the impacts of two behavioral insights strategies on bridging the intention-action gap related to sustainable and healthy food choices amongst hospital cafeteria patrons. In a pilot survey of hospital staff (N = 1,165), 56% identified limited awareness and availability of sustainable food as barriers to purchasing, although 46% were extremely willing to try sustainable dishes. We examined increasing salience (Study 1), varying availability (Study 2a), and decreasing availability (Study 2b) on sustainable and healthy dish purchases in three hospital cafeterias. Each study ran for seven weeks from March to April, 2023. In total, 10,616 dishes were purchased. In Study 1, increasing salience was associated with significant uptake of sustainable and healthy dishes, but the effect disappeared once the salience intervention was removed. In Study 2a, increasing availability of sustainable dishes corresponded to a significant increase in purchases of sustainable dishes, while decreasing availability in Study 2b followed a downward trend in purchases, suggesting that availability drove dietary choices. We recommend hospitals consider these choice architecture interventions to support the adoption of sustainable and healthy diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies show Republicans have lower risk perceptions of COVID-19 than Democrats. Has this gap in risk perception been consistent throughout the course of the pandemic? Using longitudinal data from the Understanding America Study's Understanding Coronavirus in America longitudinal panel survey, we examine how time and vaccination status have changed Republican and Democratic risk perceptions of engaging in various activities (such as grocery shopping, visiting friends and family etc.) as well as risk perceptions of infection, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19. We find that while Republicans have lowered their perceived risk of activity more than Democrats over time, vaccinated Democrats have lowered their perceived risk of infection, hospitalization, and death more than vaccinated Republicans. These results are robust to inclusion of media consumption and social media use. This divergence on the two measures of risk from COVID-19 may complicate leaders' efforts to move on from the politics of the pandemic toward a return to "normal." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a derivative of the core concept of literacy, food literacy can similarly either empower or disempower people. For example, the meaning of food literacy can be narrowed down to knowing how to grocery shop and prepare a meal, resulting in obedient neoliberal consumers who never challenge the food system. However, given the problems associated with our current food system, adults need a broader, more critical understanding of food literacy to address issues such as human health and planetary sustainability. Using a Freirean analysis, this article explores how a new trend at the forefront of literacies in adult education -- critical food literacy -- can empower adults to 'read the world' through food in order to navigate, question and change the food system. It examines power in the food system, discusses both food literacy and critical food literacy, and illustrates how adults learn the set of skills, knowledge and understandings that can challenge power in the food system and open the door to more equitable and sustainable ways of producing and consuming food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online consumer shopping patterns have changed significantly due to technological innovations. This current study examines the interplay between hedonic and utilitarian value and the role of perceived usefulness in determining consumers' trust in shopping, mainly through online grocery delivery applications. Trust in technologyoriented devices is of great interest, and this study adds new knowledge to the extant literature. A total of 462 online grocery delivery application users completed the online survey. A convenience sampling method was used. Online questionnaires were analysed using the structural equation modelling software AMOS. Empirical findings established that the perceived usefulness of online grocery delivery apps positively and statistically influenced perceived trust. Utilitarian benefits were found to have a stronger predictor of perceived usefulness than hedonic benefits. Scholarly contributions were provided to those in the grocery retail industry and academics in related scholarly fields, specifically regarding novel research on trust building anchored in perceived usefulness among consumers. The study further provides guidelines for future research that will ideally benefit the online grocery retail sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of mobile phone apps downloads, especially those in the food and drink category, is growing worldwide. Such growth in digitalisation has brought the food industry and retailers to try and understand consumers new shopping needs and preferences to offer the best virtual experience to purchase food online. Past research rarely explore the features of the currently available apps for purchasing and consumption of agro‐food products compared with consumers' perception, barriers and drivers of online purchasing. The present research aims to fill this gap, in three steps. First, investigating consumers' perceptions of apps currently available for food purchasing and consumption, as well as drivers and barriers towards of online food purchasing and towards online food shopping from (peri)urban initiatives using the theory of consumer values as a theoretical framework (Study 1). Second, analysing the features of existent apps used at (peri)urban level and/or supporting (peri)urban food purchasing and consumption adopting the technology acceptance model as a theoretical framework (Study 2). Third, cross‐analysing consumer needs emerging from the survey with apps features. Quantitative data elaboration included a cluster analysis to group apps based on their features, and principal component analysis to identify consumers' key barriers and drivers. Results support how the desire to eat fresh and seasonal food is the main driver for buying from (peri)urban agriculture initiatives, whereas a more rational and aware food consumption are the drivers for choosing online over in person shopping. The most common type of apps are those aimed at food delivery, and those selling and buying food and providing food information. Restaurants and cafes are the main market channels for consumers' food online purchasing. When consumer needs (Study 1) and apps features (Study 2) are compared, a mismatch of the two emerges. Sustainability food profile and information on seasonal food are consumers' favourite features, but they are present in a limited number of apps. Results provide insights for marketing strategies and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food fraud is an ever‐present threat that regulators, food business operators (FBOs), and consumers need to be aware of, prevent where possible, and address by developing mitigation strategies to detect and reduce its negative consequences. While extant literature focuses on food fraud detection, there is less attention given to prevention strategies, a knowledge gap this review seeks to address. The aim of this review was to consider food‐related fraud prevention initiatives, understand what has worked well, and develop a series of recommendations on preventing food fraud, both policy related and for future research. Reactive (including intelligence based) food fraud detection dominates over prevention strategies, especially where financial, knowledge, and time resources are scarce. First‐generation tools have been developed for food fraud vulnerability assessment, risk analysis, and development of food fraud prevention strategies. However, examples of integrated food control management systems at FBO, supply chain, and regulatory levels for prevention are limited. The lack of hybrid (public/private) integration of food fraud prevention strategies, as well as an effective verification ecosystem, weakens existing food fraud prevention plans. While there are several emergent practice models for food fraud prevention, they need to be strengthened to focus more specifically on capable guardians and target hardening. This work has implications for policymakers, Official Controls bodies, the food industry, and ultimately consumers who seek to consistently purchase food that is safe, legal, and authentic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on behavioral intentions in buying groceries Online. This research also aims to compare the factors influencing Gen Millennial and Gen Z consumers. This research applies the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The hypotheses used are perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived enjoyment of online grocery shopping. This research uses a survey to collect data from 199 respondents, 98 are millennials and 101 are Gen Z in Indonesia. The results showed that perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment have a significant effect on online grocery shopping intentions in Gen Millennials and Gen Z, while perceived ease of use only affects online grocery shopping intentions in Gen Millennials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeat, cross-sectional, nationally representative data from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) 2019, 2020, and 2021 Food and Health Surveys were used to examine trends in consumer interest in sustainable diets. Between 2019 and 2021, the importance of purchasing food and drinks based on healthfulness, being antibiotic-free, hormone/steroid free, or locally sourced declined among Americans. In contrast, the importance of environmental sustainability and price in purchasing decisions remained consistent; however, low-income households reported slight declines in the impact of price. This knowledge could be used to encourage expanding sustainable options in the food system and enhance equity in access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 10% of older adults reported food insecurity in 2021. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) aims to reduce food insecurity by providing low-income households with benefits to purchase food. Twenty-one older adults discussed their experiences with SNAP during three focus groups. Thematic analysis indicated that benefits were appreciated but insufficient. Participants identified challenges to applying, using, and maintaining benefits in part due to age-related limitations. The results provide evidence that improved nutrition among older adults will require increasing benefit amounts, reducing paperwork, and easing restrictions on the use of benefits to purchase prepared foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper determines the prioritization of household food purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic confinement in Latin America. This is a multicenter, cross-sectional study. An online questionnaire including sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and food purchasing prioritization information was sent through digital platforms. A total of 6,357 individuals participated; 83.6% were women, 56.3% belonged to the middle socioeconomic level. Low socioeconomic level was correlated with high prioritization of rice/pasta, potatoes, cookies, sugar/bread, flours, and sweets. The higher the socioeconomic level, the higher the purchasing of alcohol, nuts, vegetables, and meats. Purchase prioritization is related to the socioeconomic level of the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates how shopping on a weekday or a weekend moderates the impact of music on supermarket sales. Contrary to the intuitive beliefs of interviewed store managers, a meta-analysis, two field studies, and a controlled experimental study indicate that playing pleasant music (vs. no music) in supermarkets on weekdays enhances sales, an effect not found on weekends. Theorizing and interviews with shoppers suggest a potential reason for this week-part difference: Shoppers are more mentally depleted on weekdays (vs. weekends). A final study demonstrates and tests mental depletion as the driving factor for how shoppers are affected by music during different week parts. When consumers are depleted (e.g., on weekdays) music increases affect, which mediates the impact of music on sales. The results of the studies further indicate that week part plays a significant role in determining the impact of in-store music on sales. This article concludes with a discussion of the substantive and theoretical importance of incorporating the impact of week parts to predict in-store marketing effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to help online grocery retailers determine the optimal return and refund policies for perishable grocery items. Three refund policies and two return requirements are modelled: no-refund, full-refund and partial-refund, with or without product return. We first derive the optimal refund policy under two scenarios, where either product return is or is not required for refund. We further analyse how market conditions impact the optimal policies. Lastly, we investigate when product return should be required for refund. Our results show that a more generous refund policy should be offered if the product has a higher profit margin, if an unsatisfactory product has a large negative impact on consumer utility, and if consumers have high return costs when product return is required for refund. Our results also show that it is optimal not to require the unwanted product to be returned when consumer's return cost and product return rate are above certain threshold values. This paper fills the gap in the literature on return and refund policies in an online grocery setting. The findings of this paper provide explicit guidance to online grocery businesses on how to optimally determine the return and refund policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shopping at supermarkets has become a daily activity in urban areas of Enugu, Nigeria. However, there is always a huge rush in most mega supermarkets during times of discount offers, weekends and holidays resulting in long queues due to the barcode billing process. This research proposes a way of reducing the time spent at the billing counter using a radio frequency identification (RFID) smart-based shopping cart. To achieve this objective, an RFID tag, RFID reader, Arduino microcontroller and lightemitting diode (LED) display were used to develop a smart shopping trolley. RFID tag was placed on each of the eight products displayed for sale. RFID reader reads all the products that were placed on the cart and the details of the product such as the name, quantity, cost, and total cost was displayed on the LED. The smart shopping trolley system also incorporates an alarm system that triggers off when the RFID tag is removed from a product to avoid shoplifting and make the system secure for the owners of the supermarket. The result showed that the billing of the products was done directly from the smart shopping cart. The system was compared with the conventional barcode system and was found to overcome the limitations of time-consuming billing procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bangladesh suffered a severe COVID-19 wave from June to August 2021, which forced the government to impose emergency nationwide lockdown measures for three months with discontinuities. The sudden lockdown strongly affected the dietary preferences, financial circumstances, and social interactions of citizens. Methods: In this comprehensive study, we collected sociodemographic information as well as data on food purchase and consumption behaviors from 1,350 adults in Bangladesh during the weeks of enforced confinement. The association between the sociodemographic factors (viz., gender, age, education status, income, occupation, and household size) and food purchase and consumption behaviors were determined by conducting bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models reporting as odds ratios. Results: The descriptive result reveals that 49.63% of the participants experienced wage reductions, with many people enduring reductions of up to 75%; 12.22% lost their jobs. Besides, a decline in the frequency of shopping was observed by 35.04%; and 24.52% avoided outdoor shopping during the pandemic period. Additionally, 28.74% of participants purchased less overall, while 19.48% purchased significantly fewer items per trip compared to the pre-pandemic period. The multivariate analysis shows a prominent increase in online grocery shopping (OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 2.38–6.83, p < 0.001) and meal delivery services (OR = 5.19, 95% CI = 3.21–7.17, p < 0.001) among higher educated individuals compared to the individuals having no institutional education. The personnel having formal jobs purchased 2.34 times more from online grocery sites (95% CI = 0.34–4.08, p = 0.003) compared to the unemployed one. In contrast, a notable increase in panic buying and stockpiling was observed, driven by scarcity and escalating prices of essential food items. The frequency of meals with families, active engagement in meal preparation, and the exploration of novel recipes also increased notably. Conclusions: The consumption of takeaway food and inter-meal snacks increased significantly with the education level of individuals. These findings highlighted that a prolonged pandemic could magnify economic vulnerability in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nPRACTICAL IMPLICATIONSIntegrating the Information System Success (ISS) model with the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) paradigm, this study aims to explore how blockchain-enabled stimuli (blockchain-enabled traceability and blockchain-enabled transparency) affect ISS-related organisms (perceived information quality and perceived system quality), which individually, congruently, and incongruently trigger consumers’ behavioral responses (organic food purchase intentions). Using a purposive sampling of 5326 Vietnamese consumers, multiple linear regression and polynomial regression with response surface analysis are employed to examine the hypothesized model. The research indicates that both blockchain-enabled traceability and blockchain-enabled transparency significantly and positively affect perceived information quality and perceived system quality, which both significantly mediate the impacts of blockchain-enabled traceability and blockchain-enabled transparency on organic food purchase intention. The research also finds that higher congruence between perceived information quality and perceived system quality leads to increased organic food purchase intention, while greater disparity between perceived information quality and perceived system quality results in lower organic food purchase intention. This study contributes to the extant literature by integrating the ISS model with the SOR model to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding how blockchain technology affects consumer behavior in the organic food market. It also highlights the crucial role of both information and system quality in leveraging blockchain technology to enhance consumer trust and purchase intentions.Based on the findings, several important recommendations have been offered for practitioners and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of preventing and reducing food waste (FW) at the household level is of paramount importance and must be analyzed in relation to food purchasing, handling, and consumption habits. This study examines food purchasing and consumption habits in the context of food waste avoidance, among consumers in Romania. An online survey (N = 369, 67.21% women) was conducted to analyze food purchasing and consumption behavior, shopping planning routines, and food waste avoidance behavior. The average age of the respondents was 30.22 years. The collected data was analyzed, processed, and interpreted. Main findings: In 76% of the households surveyed, some of the food needed is produced in the household. The primary source of food supply is the hypermarket, regardless of the food category. About 84.55% of consumers cook at home very frequently and eat meals with their families. The highest scores for shopping planning routines were recorded for the habit of checking food stocks (3.82) and creating a shopping list (3.32). Nearly half of the respondents are responsible for both food purchases and cooking at home. Personal motivation for reducing food waste primarily involves assuming social responsibility (3.92), followed by concern for the environment. Over 87% of consumers believe that a national policy is necessary to implement educational and informational programs and projects aimed at preventing and reducing food waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to address the concerns regarding sustainability and animal welfare that have led to egg shortages. By examining consumer adoption and purchase intention towards plant‐based eggs as a viable alternative, this study identifies the key factors influencing consumer interest. The study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Value‐Attitude‐Behavior (VAB) frameworks. Data from 239 responses were collected through a questionnaire survey and analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 28.0. The results highlight the significant impact of intrinsic food value and sensory appeal on purchase intention. Attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control mediate the relationship between food value and purchase intention. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for food industry professionals by enabling them to develop targeted strategies. Moreover, this study emphasizes plant‐based eggs as a sustainable and health‐conscious solution to egg shortages, thereby promoting overall industry sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Food security has become a major global concern, particularly in urban areas where households are struggling to address the issue of basic necessities mainly food that crucially dictates human health. Overcoming these challenges will require effective management mechanisms to inform policy interventions and enhance resilience at both local and global levels. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the coping strategies (CS) pursued by urban households in the Southern Ethiopia. Furthermore, the focus is on how households to cope with food insecurity and how using these strategies varies within households. Methods: A household survey questionnaire was conducted using a cross‐sectional design, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data. A total of 310 household heads were targeted for the required data acquisition with: The coping strategy index (CSI) to capture how people perceive and cope with food insecurity that threatens human health. Results: The results indicate that households used the top seven CS to address the problem of food insecurity: limiting the size of portions at mealtimes (83.9%), depending on less expensive or seasonal foods (68.1%), reducing adult consumption (66.1%), reducing the amount of food consumed (65.8%), purchasing food on credit (60.3%), renting household assets (54.8%), and migrating household members for wage labor (53.5%). Conclusion: Moreover, the finding shows that the frequency of CS used by urban households in response to food insecurity is rated differently as never, rarely, sometimes, and more than 4 times per week. Therefore, targeted support programs for vulnerable groups should be implemented to ensure they receive adequate food during times of food insecurity wherein the victims' health status is imperatively to be bettered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Studied a sample of 152 low-income Latino parents and their kindergarten children. • Examined unique relations between food practices and children's academic skills. • Food sharing practices positively related to children's literacy skills. • Food practices are part of the constellation of Latino home learning activities. Latino parents support children's academic skills through their involvement in daily living activities. Prior work has focused on conventional literacy (e.g., book reading) and numeracy activities (e.g., teaching numbers). Less-visible home activities that are high-priority, high-value cultural practices in Latino communities are food sharing (e.g., eating together) and food-related household chores (e.g., grocery shopping together). This study examined whether food sharing and food-related household chores contributed to children's academic skills beyond conventional literacy and numeracy activities, in a sample of 152 Latino parents from low-income households and their kindergarten children (M age = 67.24 months; 51.32% female). At the beginning of kindergarten, parents completed a home learning activities questionnaire and children's literacy and math skills were assessed. We found that food sharing, but not food-related household chores, positively related to children's literacy skills (vocabulary), beyond conventional literacy and numeracy activities. Food sharing and food-related household chores did not relate to children's math skills. Findings suggest the need to consider food sharing and food-related household chores as part of the constellation of Latino home learning activities that are likely to support children's academic skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]