This thesis explains the relative significance of product claims in food product marketing. Eggs are selected as the appropriate product for evaluating the importance of animal welfare and product origin claims. For illustration purposes, this study uses qualitative data for the top four egg-producing countries in Europe: France, Germany, the U.K and Italy. This data is acquired from Mintel GNPD.
After the hierarchical clustering technique has been applied, European egg consumers are divided into five groups: premium consumers, product-centric consumers, indifferent consumers, fair consumers, and local consumers. Substantial differences have been found in the preferences of product claims for each cluster.
This thesis attempts to make three contributions to existing research by analyzing product claims for eggs. Firstly, this study demonstrates the importance of product origin claims in marketing. Secondly, it explains different aspects of animal welfare that are relevant for European consumers, when purchasing eggs. Finally, it makes recommendations to policy makers for increasing consumer engagement and helps egg suppliers in Europe in developing international marketing strategies.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Abstract
- Acknowledgement
- Table of Contents
- List of Figures
- List of Tables
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Why are Eggs the Appropriate Product for studying the Influence of Product Claims?
- Research Objectives
- Motivations for this Thesis
- Economic Motivation
- Academic Motivation
- Legal Motivation
- Structure of this Thesis
- Literature Research
- Why Product Origin and AW claims are Important for Food Products?
- Conceptual Framework
- Animal Welfare Claims
- Product Origin Claims
- Other Product Attributes
- Methodology
- Cluster Analysis
- Types of Cluster Analysis
- Hierarchical Cluster Analysis
- Partition Cluster Analysis
- Two-Step Clustering
- Analysis: Steps in Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering
- Data Collection
- Data Preparation
- Selection of Distance Measurement Criteria for Contingency Table
- Selection of Criteria for Joining Clusters
- Selection of Final Number of Clusters using Dendrogram
- Results
- Cluster One: Premium Consumers (n=107)
- Cluster Two: Product Centric Consumers (n=89)
- Cluster Three: Indifferent Consumers (n=95)
- Cluster Four: Fair Consumers (n=55)
- Cluster Five: Local Consumers (n=108)
- Conclusion
- Research Implications
- The Significance of Product Claims in Egg Marketing
- Relevance of Product Origin Claims for European Countries
- Importance of AW Claims for European Consumers
- Recommendation for Marketers and Policy-Makers
- Empower Consumers
- Educate Farmers
- Campaigns for Promotion of Organic Eggs
- Pricing for Locally Produced and Organic Eggs
- Relevance of Consumer Knowledge w.r.t. Product Claims
- Limitations Related to this Study
- Subjective Bias in Database Creation
- Impact of Consumers Psychology and Producer's Market Share
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This master's thesis delves into the relative importance of product claims in food marketing, particularly focusing on the influence of animal welfare and product origin claims on consumer preferences for eggs. Using qualitative data from the top four egg-producing countries in Europe, the study aims to understand how these claims impact consumer choices and provide recommendations for marketers and policymakers.
- The impact of product claims (animal welfare and origin) on consumer preferences in the egg market.
- Segmentation of European egg consumers based on their preferences for product claims.
- The relevance of different aspects of animal welfare to European egg consumers.
- The significance of product origin claims in marketing, particularly for egg products.
- Recommendations for enhancing consumer engagement and developing effective international marketing strategies for egg suppliers in Europe.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter sets the stage by introducing the research topic, explaining the choice of eggs as the target product, outlining the study's objectives, and providing the motivations behind the research. It also outlines the structure of the thesis.
- Literature Research: This chapter delves into existing literature on the importance of product origin and animal welfare claims for food products. It discusses the conceptual framework, examines the specific aspects of animal welfare relevant to European consumers, and explores the significance of product origin claims. It also touches upon other product attributes that influence consumer choices.
- Methodology: This chapter focuses on the research methodology employed, specifically explaining the use of cluster analysis. It elaborates on different types of cluster analysis, including hierarchical cluster analysis, partition cluster analysis, and two-step clustering.
- Analysis: Steps in Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering: This chapter provides a detailed account of the steps involved in the agglomerative hierarchical clustering technique. It covers data collection, data preparation, the selection of distance measurement criteria for contingency tables, the selection of criteria for joining clusters, and the selection of the final number of clusters using a dendrogram.
- Results: This chapter presents the results of the cluster analysis, highlighting the distinct preferences of different consumer groups for product claims. It examines the characteristics of each cluster, including premium consumers, product-centric consumers, indifferent consumers, fair consumers, and local consumers.
- Research Implications: This chapter discusses the implications of the research findings for the egg market. It emphasizes the significance of product claims, particularly animal welfare and origin, and their impact on consumer behavior.
- Recommendation for Marketers and Policy-Makers: This chapter offers recommendations for marketers and policymakers based on the research findings. It outlines strategies for empowering consumers, educating farmers, promoting organic eggs, pricing locally produced and organic eggs, and leveraging consumer knowledge about product claims.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This research focuses on the impact of product claims, specifically animal welfare and product origin, on consumer preferences for egg products. The study employs cluster analysis, specifically agglomerative hierarchical clustering, to segment European egg consumers based on their preferences. The research utilizes data from the Mintel GNPD, a database containing consumer insights and market data, to understand the unique characteristics of each consumer cluster.
- Citation du texte
- Syed Asad Ali Naqvi (Auteur), 2019, Food Marketing. Influence of organic and domestic claims, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1130085
