Importance of intrinsic and extrinsic quality food characteristics by different consumer segments
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine intrinsic and extrinsic food quality characteristics and the relative importance placed on these characteristics by different consumer segments. Moreover, relationship between segments of consumers and consumption frequency of differentiated food products (traditional, functional and organic) was analysed. Design/methodology/approach A three-stage stratified random sampling approach was employed and data were collected via 500 face-to-face interviews conducted in respondents’ homes. A version of the Food Choice Questionnaire was used to examine the motives of consumers’ underlying food choices. The collected data were analysed by factor analysis followed by cluster analysis. Findings Four factors were identified: health and sensory characteristics, price and availability, body weight and digestion, and convenience. Resulting clusters were named as: healthy and tasty food lovers, convenient, concerned, and indifferent consumers. Differences were identified between the segments according to consumers’ frequency of consumption of the different types of food products. Practical implications The findings have impact implications for food producers and distributors in developing communication strategies for consumer segments with different attitudes and motives. The findings of this study not only contribute to the organic, traditional, and food with health claim literature, but also help industry, government, and consumer associations fully understand consumer perceptions of intrinsic and extrinsic foods characteristics and enhance consumers’ responses to the different types of food products. Originality/value The study represents one of the first assessments of the importance of food quality characteristics, segmentation, and consumption frequency of traditional, organic, and functional food products in Central and Eastern Europe.
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Most previous segmentation studies regarding functional food include smaller, nonrepresentative samples or apply factor-clustering techniques.
“Finally, most of the previous segmentation studies regarding functional food include smaller, nonrepresentative samples (e.g., Annunziata & Pascale, 2009;Ares & Gámbaro, 2007;van der Zanden, van Kleef, de Wijk, & van Trijp, 2015) or apply factorclustering techniques (Brečić, Mesić, & Cerjak, 2017;Szakály, Szente, Kövér, Polereczki, & Szigeti, 2012) (for a critical account of factor clustering, see”
From Relationships between functional food consumption and individual traits and values: A segmentation approach (2021) · cites this paper as Brečić et al., 2017
The results confirm the presence of a careless segment.
“For instance, the results confirm the presence of a careless segment (sometimes referred to as uninterested, uninvolved, indifferent, or unmotivated) (Brečić et al., 2017;Sparke & Menrad, 2009;Szakály et al., 2012).”
From Relationships between functional food consumption and individual traits and values: A segmentation approach (2021) · cites this paper as Brečić et al., 2017
Although self-controlled consumers actively seek new food ideas and find pleasure in new food experiences, their weaker convenience orientation may explain why they do not consider functional foods more favorable.
“Although self-controlled consumers actively seek new food ideas and find pleasure in new food experiences-a trait previously associated with proneness to consuming functional foods (cf., Huotilainen et al., 2006)-their weaker convenience orientation may explain why they do not consider functional foods more favorable (Brečić et al., 2017).”
From Relationships between functional food consumption and individual traits and values: A segmentation approach (2021) · cites this paper as Brečić et al., 2017
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- Authors
- Brečić, R., Mesić, Ž., & Cerjak, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Zagreb (HR)
- Venue
- British Food Journal
- Publisher
- Emerald
- Published
- 2017-04-03
- Volume
- 119
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 845-862
- ISSN
- 0007-070X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2595677924
- Cited by
- 107
- References
- 76
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 9.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Food Journal (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Organic Food and Agriculture
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Sensory Analysis and Statistical Methods
- Keywords
- customer segmentation, food choice motives, consumption frequency, organic food, functional foods, traditional food, convenience, price and availability, Central and Eastern Europe
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