Assessment of U.S. Consumers' Underlying Beliefs about Local Food Purchase

미국 소비자들의 로컬 푸드 구매에 대한 내재된 신념에 관한 연구

  • Shin, Yeon Ho (Dept. of Human Nutrition & Hospitality Management, The University of Alabama) ;
  • Hancer, Murat (School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration, Oklahoma State University) ;
  • Jung, Seung Eun (Dept. of Human Nutrition & Hospitality Management, The University of Alabama) ;
  • Kim, Dong Jin (Dept. of Food Service Industry, Yeungnam University)
  • Received : 2015.09.01
  • Accepted : 2015.10.20
  • Published : 2015.10.31

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to get insight into the essential cognitive basis of local food purchase behavior based on Ajzen's (1991) theory of planned behavior. By asking open-ended questions using an online survey, participants' (n=163) salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs in regard to local food purchase were assessed and analyzed. The most salient advantage was supporting local economy, followed by freshness, knowledge of where the food came from and how it was handled, environmental benefits, and health benefits. Assessing to consumers' normative beliefs found that local businesses, local farmers, family, local people, and friends were the most frequently mentioned individuals or groups who would approve consumers' local food purchasing. In contrast, the most salient barrier was inconvenient store location and time, followed by higher prices, limited availability and variety, and limited knowledge about where to buy local food.

본 연구의 목적은 Ajzen(1991)의 계획된 행동이론을 바탕으로 로컬 푸드를 구매와 관련한 기초적인 인지적 근거를 조사하는 것이다. 개방형 문항으로 이루어진 온라인 설문조사를 통해서 163명의 응답자로부터 자료를 수집하였으며, 수집된 로컬 푸드 구매와 관련한 소비자의 핵심적인 행동적 신념, 규범적 신념, 통제적 신념에 대한 자료를 분석하고 평가했다. 응답자들의 가장 핵심적인 행동적 신념은 지역경제 발전에 이바지함으로 나타났으며, 뒤를 이어 신선함, 식품의 원산지와 취급과정에 대한 지식, 환경혜택, 건강혜택으로 나타났다. 규범적 신념으로는 지역 사업가, 지역 농부, 가족, 지역민, 친구의 순으로 로컬 푸드 구매를 지지하는 것으로 나타났다. 반면, 로컬 푸드 구매와 관련한 장애물로는 불편한 로컬푸드 상점의 위치와 영업시간, 높은 가격, 상품의 제한성과 다양성, 구매처에 대한 제한된 지식등이 주로 거론되었다.

Keywords

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