Motivational Structures Toward Purchasing Labeled Beef and Cheese in Belgium

Abstract

Signs and labels designating specificity or quality increasingly appear on food products as a response to consumer demand for safety, wholesomeness and guarantee. This paper focuses on motivational structures of consumers who purchase labeled food from short market channels in Belgium. Specifically, it concerns beef from “Produits Qualite d'Autrefois” or “Coprosain,” and cheese from “Fermiere de Mean.” The research methodology builds on means-end-chain (MEC) theory. Data are collected either through laddering or through the Association Pattern Technique (APT). Hierarchical value maps, which visualize consumer motivational structures, are presented for each of the case studies. The strongest motivational cluster pertains to the values health and security. Labels are the basic attributes in this health/security cluster. Further, distinct hedonistic and universalistic motivational structures are discovered. The revealed motivational structures form the basis for more effective and efficient communication with end consumers.

Key Words:

• Consumer behaviorr
• means-end chains
• laddering
• Association Pattern Technique
• labels
• beef
• cheese
• Belgium