Factors affecting food preference Flashcards
(14 cards)
Personal, social and economic factors that affect food choice
Personal factors
Personal factors that come into play when choosing food might include:
Likes and dislikes – consumers tend to buy products that they like and avoid those that they don’t.
Age – adolescents may want to purchase a different variety of item than an adult, for example adolescents may prefer sugary chocolate sweets while adults may go for high quality dark chocolate bars.
Lifestyle – consumers with children may purchase more child friendly products, for example those low in sugar, than consumers without children.
Occupation – consumers with higher paid jobs may go for brand items, while those on a lower wage may opt for own brand choices like Asda Smart Price, Sainsbury’s Basics or Tesco Everyday Value.
Social factors
As consumers we are influenced by those around us, therefore we may tend to purchase what our friends or family purchase.
For example, adult consumers may be influenced by advice from friends on where to shop for the best value, while adolescent consumers may want the latest fizzy drink that all their friends are buying.
Economic Factors
The amount of money we have influences our purchases.
Consumers with a high income can afford to spend money on luxury foods - like prawns or fillet steak. They may often shop at a high end retailer like Marks and Spencer.
Consumers on a tight budget due to a low income or large family, may tend to spend money in cheaper outlets such as Lidl or Asda. They may also buy own brand products in order to save money.
Religious and cultural factors?
Religious factors can have a major influence on what foods we buy.
For example, Muslims will not eat meat such as beef or lamb that has not been slaughtered by the halal method, while those of the Jewish religion will only eat foods that are Kosher.
Where we are from and our culture will also influence our food purchases.
For example, Polish or Chinese consumers will tend to purchase foods they are familiar with.
Ethical and environmental factors
An ethical consumer will care deeply about where their food comes from and the welfare of the animals and people involved in making that food.
They will look for the following factors:
Organic produce – ethical consumers tend to buy organic produce as it is produced in a way that protects the environment.
Fairtrade produce – ethical consumers tend to buy Fairtrade produce, for example bananas or chocolate, as the farmers responsible for producing the product have been given a fair price for their produce.
Local produce – ethical consumers often like to support local farmers. For example, consumers from Northern Ireland may like to purchase apples that have been grown in County Armagh as this reduces food miles.
Health issues
Factors affecting the health of individual consumers can have a major influence on their choice of food.
For example, consumers who suffer from an allergy or intolerance will avoid purchasing foods that contain the product they are allergic to.
Someone who is allergic to nuts will not buy food products that may contain nuts, while someone who has lactose intolerance will purchase dairy free products.
Consumers who want to follow a healthy balanced diet and reduce their risk of dietary related disorders, such as cardiovascular disease or hypertension
, may choose to purchase products that are low in salt.
Why is a best before date not used in high risk foods?
They have use by dates for high risk foods
Examples of special offers
Buy one get one free
Rduced price
Meal deals
Legally required packging information
Legally required information
* Name of food or drink.
* List of ingredients
(including water and food
additives), in descending
order of weight.
* Weight or volume.
* Date mark (Best-before
and use-by).
* Storage and preparation
conditions.
* Name and address of the
manufacturer, packer or
seller.
* Country of origin and
place of provenance.
* Nutrition information.
Additional information may
also be provided, such as
cooking instructions, serving
suggestions or price.
What health claims are not permitted
Medicinal claims, about preventing, treating or curing a disease.
Claims on alcoholic beverages (more than 1.2% alcohol), other than low/reduced alcohol or energy.
Claims that suggest health could be affected by not consuming the food.
Claims that make reference to a rate or amount of weight loss.
Claims that make reference to recommendations of individual doctors and health professionals.
Suggest an example of an health claim
Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy.
Calcium is important for normal growth and development of bones in children.
Sugar-free chewing gum contributes to the maintenance of tooth mineralisation.
Moral factors
Animal Ethics – Veganism/vegetarianism, humane farming.
Environment – Climate impact, sustainable sourcing.
Fair Trade – Supporting ethical labor practices.
Religion – Halal, kosher, fasting rules.
Health & Ethics – Avoiding GMOs, pesticides, supporting local farms.
Social Justice – Reducing waste, opposing food monopolies.
Paired preference tests vs hedonic rating tests
Paired Preference Test
Purpose: Determines which of two samples consumers prefer.
Format: Participants choose between Sample A and B.
Output: Binary result (A or B preferred).
Use Case: Product reformulation, competitor benchmarking.
Pros: Simple, quick, forces a choice.
Cons: Doesn’t measure why or how much preferred.
- Hedonic Rating Test
Purpose: Measures degree of liking for a product.
Format: Rates samples on a scale (e.g., 1–9: “Dislike” to “Like”).
Output: Average liking scores (quantitative).
Use Case: Product optimization, quality control.
Pros: Reveals intensity of preference, works for single/multiple samples.
Cons: More complex, may lack context (e.g., no direct comparison).
Triangle discrimination test
Triangle Test
Format: 3 samples (2 identical, 1 different).
Task: Identify the odd sample.
Use: Detects subtle differences (e.g., ingredient substitutions).
A not A test
A discrimination test method used to determine if a perceptible difference exists between a reference sample (“A”) and one or more test samples (“Not A”).
Controls for tests
Key Types of Controls in Sensory Testing
1. Reference Controls (Blind Controls)
Purpose: Provide a known standard for comparison.
Examples:
A gold-standard sample (e.g., a control batch of coffee) used in discrimination tests.
A hidden reference sample (e.g., same sample labeled differently to check panelist consistency).
- Negative Controls
Purpose: Detect false positives or biases.
Examples:
Blank samples (e.g., water in a flavor test).
Placebo samples (e.g., unsalted crackers in a saltiness test).
- Positive Controls
Purpose: Confirm panelists can detect expected differences.
Examples:
A spiked sample (e.g., adding a known amount of sugar to test sweetness perception).
A clearly different sample (e.g., overcooked vs. properly cooked pasta).
- Environmental Controls
Purpose: Eliminate external influences on sensory results.
Examples:
Standardized lighting (to mask color differences).
Neutral odors (to prevent smell interference).
Controlled serving temperature (e.g., serving all soups at 65°C).
