Consumers’experiences and preferences for plant-based meat food:Evidence from a choice experiment in four cities of China

This paper examined consumers’experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat(PBM)food and their respective correlates,based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2021.We first described consumers’experiences in consuming and purchasing PBM food and their correlates,and then analyzed consumer preferences using hypothetical choice experiment.The experiment offered consumers various options to purchase burgers made from PBM or animal-based meat(ABM),combined with different countries of origin(COO),taste labels,and prices.Our data showed that respondents hold overall positive attitudes toward PBM food;85 and 82%of respondents reported experience in eating and purchasing PBM food,respectively.More than half of them ate PBM food because they wanted to try new food(58%),or were interested in healthy food(56%).Income,religion,and dietary restrictions were significantly correlated with consumers’experiences in PBM food consumption.Results from the Random Parameter Logit Model based on the hypothetical choice experiment data showed that 79%of respondents chose PBM burgers and were willing to pay an average of 88 CNY for a PBM burger.We also found that 99.8 and 83%of respondents are willing to buy burgers made in China and those with a taste label,with a willingness to pay(WTP)of 208 and 120 CNY,respectively.The heterogeneity test revealed that females and those with at least a bachelor’s degree,higher income,religious beliefs,and dietary restrictions are more likely to buy PBM burgers than their counterparts.

Female preference promotes asynchronous sex evolution in Elephantiformes

性双型的特征通常被认为产生于种内争夺交配优先权的斗争。例如,现生和化石的雄性长鼻类动物具有较大的体型和较粗壮的上门齿。本研究阐释了如下现象:化石象型类动物(Elephantiformes,长鼻类的主要类群)一些性双型特征与其进化历史具有相关性,而与性别竞争并非直接相关。在中新世的葛氏铲齿象(Platybelodon grangeri)和狭齿嵌齿象(Gomphotherium angustidens)中,雄性比雌性倾向于具有进化中更进步的特征,如同雄性在进化中领先雌性一步。这种现象可能与雌性偏好的机制相耦合。在象型类动物进化的早期(繁荣期),性别选择压促使雄性比雌性产生更加显著的进步特征;然而,在它们进化的晚期(衰退期),性别选择压似乎减弱,性别的异时进化也减少。这种新的发现或许在大型有蹄类的演化过程中有一定的普遍意义,因为那些繁荣的类群中通常性双型显著,如鹿科和牛科;而衰落的类群中通常性双型不显著。

Preference and Willingness of Consumers to Pay for Value-added Poultry Products in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

There has been a steady growth in demand for convenience and ready-cooked food has influenced the interest of poultry processors in developing value-added chicken products that meet consumers＇ demand/choice. A conjoint analysis was done in this study on the survey of 975 chicken consumers in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, between March and September, 2014 to valuate consumers, preferences and willingness to pay （WTP） for various chicken attributed parts, production method, processing method, storage method, the presence of flavor and cooking method. The estimates of consumers, WTP premium prices for various mixtures of value-added characteristics were ascertained. The consumers preferred chicken products refrigerated, from chicken produced under free-range management, chicken breast, chicken product that was addictive and flavor free, which could be oven-heated or pan heated. One half of the entire respondents were willing to pay about 25% more for value-added chicken product over the price for conventional products. On the whole, a premium for value-added chicken products was more likely to be paid for by young consumers, consumers who patronized farmers＇ markets and preferred free-range or organic chicken products. WTP by consumers was negatively affected by price of products. The poultry industry could utilize combined knowledge of consumers＇ WTP for value-added chicken product price as a guide of develop innovative value-added chicken products.

Changing Male Preferences for Female Body Type in the US: An Adaptive Response to a Changing Socioeconomic Climate

The debate over changing ideals of beauty in Western society remains unresolved more than 20 years after Singh’s (1993) seminal study [1] suggesting there was a universal male preference for a female body shape with a low waist to hip ratio (circa 0.7), which relates to maximum fecundity. Subsequent research has supported this universal preference while other studies have found that male preferences may be context dependent and capable of calibrating in response to the specific selection pressures of differing socio-ecologies. The current paper aims to help resolve this uncertainty with an analysis of body measurements of female models who were Playboy centrefolds from 1953-2014. Height is shown to increase significantly over time (beyond a level that could be attributed to a positive secular trend). Along with a significant increase in waist to hip ratio (WHR) (i.e. more tubular) and a significant decrease in Body Mass Index (BMI), these results represent a shift in male preferences away from signals of maximum fecundity, and towards a more androgenic female body shape. Contemporary research indicates that increasing height in women is positively associated with career orientation and negatively with reproduction ambition, thus the change in Western male preferences may be interpreted as an adaptive response to ecological conditions where a smaller family size and greater involvement of female partners in resource acquisition is adaptive.

Improve access to the EU market by identifying French consumer preference for fresh fruit from China

Most previous studies have investigated country-of-origin effect for agricultural products from the economically developed country, but few have focused on the impact of country-of-origin on agricultural products from economically developing countries. Using a national online survey in France, we determine French consumers＇ perceptions and preferences for fresh fruit from China. Results of ordered logit models show that fresh fruit from China was perceived as low quality and unsafe. Respondents who care about country-of-origin were less likely to purchase fresh fruit from China, while those who care about brand were more likely to buy Chinese fresh fruit. Risk perception and quality perception both had a significant impact on the purchase of Chinese fresh fruit. Results of latent class models obtained with key consumer demographics show that heterogeneous preferences exist among different consumer groups. The results provide critical information to both China and other economically developing countries in their efforts to improve market penetration in economically developed countries.

Consumer Preferences for Water Supply at Njala University, Njala Campus in Southern Sierra Leone

Suppliers of potable water would benefit from a sustainable business as long as consumers continue to prefer their brand. Some of the reasons for choosing a particular brand include water quality, cost of the finished product, reliability of supply, and supplier ethics. These important determinant factors form the basis of this work. The objective is to delineate consumer preferences for water supplied to the Njala campus community, in southern Sierra Leone, and the underlying determinant factors. A list of questions administered to 140 respondents, are used to help achieve the objective. The results of water quality tests are also used to determine if quality has anything to do with consumer preference. The Oxfam Delagua water testing kit is customized to incubate and enhance counting of fecal and no-fecal coliform bacteria in water samples. Bacterial contamination is the major concern in the study area. The survey results reveal the consumers prefer package water for drinking. Treated water from Tia River is only used for other domestic purposes. The consumers do not trust the quality of water supplied from Tia River, albeit filtration and disinfection at the University’s treatment center. This distrust is confirmed by the bacterial test. None of the campus water sources meet recommended guidelines for drinking water. The consumers are, however, willing to shift preference from package to tap drinking water if treatment comes with quality assurance. The university could benefit through economic gratification, customer protection, and reduced plastic waste from package drinking water.

On the Role of Consumer Preferences in the Coordination among Health Insurers under Regulated Competition

This paper addresses the coordination problem of price and quality setting insurers, arising on the health insurance market under regulated competition, as introduced, for instance, in the Netherlands in 2006. We use an experimental study to gain novel insights on the impact of the uncertainty about consumer preferences on the coordination problem. This fundamental uncertainty implies uncertainty about the identity of the payoff dominant equilibrium, while the risk dominant equilibrium is independent of the state of the world. The experimental results show that insurers are more likely to coordinate on the payoff dominant equilibrium under incomplete information. When insurers face not only strategic but also fundamental uncertainty in the coordination problem, they delay the response to the risk dominant strategy, and persist longer in trying to coordinate on the payoff dominant equilibrium. For the market we study, this implies that the co-ordination under incomplete information will result in consumers paying higher prices, in contrast to the original objectives of the regulated competition.

Consumer Preference and Willingness to Pay for Non-Plastic Food Containers in Honolulu, USA

Expanded polystyrene (EPS), a petroleum based plastic polystyrene, has an immense environmental impact with a degradation rate of over 500 years, and is a possible human carcinogen that may cause cancer in humans. Nonetheless, EPS is the most commonly used material to produce takeout food containers, a single use item that is quickly discarded. With growing recognition of the high environmental costs of EPS products and their pressure on landfill resources, EPS food container bans have become increasingly popular in jurisdictions across the globe. Similar legislation has been introduced in the state of Hawaii, USA. However, since EPS is currently more cost effective than its alternatives, the widespread adoption of food containers produced with biodegradable materials remains a challenge. This study employs Conjoint Choice Experiment (CCE) to determine consumer preference and willingness to pay for plant-based EPS alternative takeout food containers and their various product attributes in the urban center of Honolulu, Hawaii. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) is used to cluster respondents into four distinct classes based on their observable attributes of choice. Results show that the majority of respondents (81.0%) are in favor of a ban on EPS takeout food containers. As an alternative, the majority of respondents prefer a container constructed out of a sugarcane material (66.49%) that is microwaveable (88.94%), water resistant (100%), and locally produced (51.23%). Moreover, this study demonstrates an increase in consumer’s willingness to pay for more environmentally friendly food containers, which may allow businesses to offset the costs of substituting EPS for biodegradable materials. These findings provide valuable information for farmers, manufacturers, and natural resource managers, and can help to guide decision makers when considering socially responsible and environmentally sustainable policies.

Confectionery and Child Consumers: Situation and Solution Proposals

The group of child consumers differs significantly from other consumer groups due to the effects of individuals other than themselves on their preferences as well as motivation factors of consumers’ food choices. In recent years, the effect of the relationship between nutrition and health on food preferences has increased. The effects of this relationship on protectionist consumer approaches towards children are more visible. It can be stated that communication channels, especially social media, increase the level of this effect. Foods, which are frequently preferred by child consumers due to their taste and pleasure but contain high calorie value and high sugar levels associated with obesity;are among the foods that are frequently discussed. This situation increases the concern of parents about these foods. In this study, consumption characteristics of sugar and confectionery products and potential alternatives to these products are discussed with the aim of due diligence and seeking solutions. It is important to carry out awareness-raising activities on sugar and sugar products not only for children but also for all socio-economic and age groups, and to develop policies and strategies for this purpose. Computer game-based consumer awareness studies can be used for sugar and confectionery products and for a lively lifestyle in order to provide fast and direct awareness to children. However, first, it is recommended to elaborate due diligence in order to determine the quality and quantity of information and awareness, to identify possible solution proposals with the participation of all stakeholders and to conduct pilot practices based on recommendations. It may be more beneficial to carry out these activities for a specific product and consumer groups rather than the general nutrition and consumer group.

Relationship between Taste Sensitivity and Eating Style in Japanese Female University Students

This study investigated the relationship between taste sensitivity, the frequency and the preference for eating foods rich in zinc, dietary habits, and restrained eating among Japanese female undergraduate students. Forty-three subjects be-tween the ages of 20 and 22 participated in this study. After a taste-sensitivity test for sweetness and saltiness the stu-dents completed a food list indicating the intake frequency and preference of foods rich in zinc and their eating habits. The students were divided into four groups: high salt-taste sensitivity (SA-HG), low salt-taste sensitivity (SA-LG), high sweet-taste sensitivity (SW-HG), and low sweet-taste sensitivity (SW-LG). Individuals in the SA-HG group ate more foods rich in zinc and were more concerned with their health than those in the SA-LG group. Further, the SW-LG group ate more convenience foods than the SW-HG group. High salt-taste sensitivity could be predicted by eating more but less preference of foods rich in zinc, less snacking, and greater regularity of meals. On the other hand there is a signifi-cant positive relationship between the frequencies of eating and preference for foods rich in zinc. This means the results were inconsistent, further research is needed to clarify this point.

整体主观偏好与嗜好性感官属性客观量化间的感知交互

为探讨消费者主观偏好测试对其随后进行的感官品质客观量化评价的影响,尤其是"嗜好性感官特征"的客观量化,本文采用蛋白粉和调制奶两种溶液体系,分别对202名消费者进行喜好度、适宜度(Just-about-right,JAR)测试和对175名消费者进行喜好度和强度排序-评分测试,并对比消费者与专业评价员对各嗜好性感官特性的量化结果差异。结果显示:在蛋白粉体系中,评价员对稠厚度的评分随着样品风味强度的增强而下降(P<0.05),而顺滑感无显著变化(P>0.05),然而,消费者的评价并未呈现相同趋势。在牛奶体系中,评价员对乳脂感的强度评价受到脂肪和蔗糖浓度的共同影响,消费者的感知与此结果并不一致。进一步分析发现,两个测试中,消费者对嗜好性属性的量化评分均与其对样品的整体主观偏好程度高度相关,即整体喜好度越高的样品,对应的嗜好性属性强度评分越高。本文研究消费者偏好与感官属性之间的关系,为获得全面客观的消费者评价而设计可靠有效的消费者测试方法提供了有力的理论依据。

制造商不同研发模式下零售商信息获取策略研究

在激烈的市场竞争中,制造商需要不断进行产品研发才能保持其核心竞争力,而下游零售商在关注产品研发计划的同时也需要时刻掌握消费者偏好情况。为研究制造商不同研发模式下零售商的最佳信息获取策略,本文基于质量提升和成本削减两种研发模式,构建了不同策略组合下的博弈模型。研究发现:无论制造商是否进行研发投入,零售商都仅在信息获取成本低于相应的阈值时才会获取消费者偏好信息,但制造商的研发投入放宽了零售商获取信息的费用阈值,促进了其进行信息获取的意愿。同时,制造商研发模式的选择受到投资系数的影响,当质量投资系数较小而成本投资系数较大时,制造商选择质量提升研发模式,反之,制造商选择成本削减研发模式。最后,通过数值算例表明,零售商获取信息有益于消费者剩余和社会福利的提升。

国内消费者需求偏好与贸易高质量发展

本文聚焦国内消费者需求偏好视角来考察中国贸易高质量发展,采用2000—2014年中国海关数据库、中国工业企业数据库、全国标准信息公共服务平台数据库、WIOD和CEPII数据库,研究了国内消费者需求偏好升级对中国企业进出口产品质量的影响。研究发现:国内消费者需求偏好升级能够有效提升企业进口产品质量,但没有促进企业出口产品质量提升,即中国企业出口产品质量与国内需求偏好升级背离;供需失衡和国内国际标准不对接是导致出口产品质量背离的重要原因;在需求侧,高端需求外移导致国内市场供需脱节,而在供给侧,价值链上游产业和中间产品的供给未能跟上需求偏好升级的步伐则进一步加剧了出口产品质量的背离。因此,把握国内消费者需求偏好升级的契机,构建供需适配的国内大循环体系,推动国内国际标准对接以及价值链上游的供给侧结构性改革,有助于实现贸易高质量发展。

基于评论挖掘消费者偏好的蓝牙耳机设计策略

目的 本研究旨在从在线评论数据中挖掘消费者偏好信息,以探索蓝牙耳机设计的改良策略。方法 使用Python爬虫抓取目标消费者评论,并通过数据挖掘和文本分析定位需求主题和关键词后,基于消费者偏好理论,对产品功能属性进行情感分析和需求描述以控制变量,运用Mixed-logit模型提取消费者偏好特征以寻求最优的设计策略。结果 通过定量的实证研究,回归分析了偏好特征参数的显著性表达,生成蓝牙耳机改良策略实例并通过满意度检测验证其可行性。结论 结合评论挖掘和Mixed-logit模型,不仅能够设计出以消费者偏好为核心的产品设计方案,还可以为相关产品的设计策略改进提供指导与建议,具有一定的创新性和实用性。

双积分政策下考虑电耗、新能源偏好的决策研究

为探讨汽车制造商面对国内汽车行业电气化转型的生产决策问题,在双积分政策背景下针对制造商、零售商组成的二级供应链构建两种生产情形下不同决策模型,并引入新能源汽车电能消耗和消费者新能源偏好,运用Stackelberg博弈求得不同生产情形中不同决策模式下供应链各成员最优生产决策与收益分析。结果表明:双积分政策的深入实施有利于提高新能源汽车电能消耗水平,降低新能源汽车销售价格,扩大市场规模的同时促使燃油车提高减排水平;车企应选择在集中决策模式下提高新能源车型产能,逐渐减少传统燃油车产量,给供应链中各成员带来更多收益;从短期看制造商继续生产燃油车的生产情形所获收益虽高于停产燃油车情形,但其收益波动较大且制造商停产燃油车全面转型生产新能源汽车后的收益呈稳定增长趋势。

碳交易机制下双渠道供应链定价与协调研究

文中运用博弈论求得了集中决策和分散决策下双渠道供应链最优定价决策和单位碳减排决策,分析了碳交易价格、消费者渠道偏好和低碳偏好对最优决策的影响,采用了收益共享-成本分担契约协调供应链,并通过数值算例验证了模型和结论的有效性.结果表明:在一定的条件下,两种渠道的定价均随碳交易价格的增加而降低;线上直销渠道价格与线上渠道偏好成正相关,线下零售渠道价格则相反;合理的碳交易价格、渠道偏好和低碳偏好有助于碳减排和供应链整体利润的提高;集中决策下单位产品碳减排量和供应链整体利润均高于分散决策时;收益共享-成本分担契约能使供应链成员的利润实现Pareto改进.