Marketing assignment essay on: Consumer needs and motivation

Marketing assignment essay on: Consumer needs and motivation

Abstract: The assignment discusses the critical review on consumer needs and motivation in relation to canned fruits. The key objective of this article is gaining insight in perceptions and consumption behavior among consumers towards canned fruits that are not yet commonly available in markets[A1] .More specifically, the study examines

• ØConsumer general attitude and beliefs towards canned fruits
• ØFamiliarity with canned fruits, and the impact of social influences on the canned fruit consumption
• ØImpact of socio-demographic in shaping canned fruit consumption decisions
• ØMotives and barriers for canned fruit consumption
• ØEffect of sensory experiences and
• ØInfluence of information on canned fruit acceptanceFindings from this article indicate that consumers tend to have a positive attitude towards canned fruit consumption. They believe that canned fruits and their products are healthy and nutritious, special, attractive and delicious. Social factors (like children, partner, social environment) affect an individual’s decision to consume fresh and canned fruits. While considering socio-demographic characteristics (like gender, age, place of residence and level of education), differences are expected regarding attitude, social influences, perceptions, familiarity and purchase behaviour.

Unfamiliarity with canned fruits products and the perceived high acquisition prices are found to be the major barriers for canned fruit consumption. Pleasure seeking and hedonism, clubbed with consumers’ beliefs that canned fruits are healthy, nutritious, special and attractive, form the main drivers. Sensory experiences are found to be predominant in consumers’ acceptance of canned fruits and their products. Moreover, the perceptions regarding non-sensory attributes is predominantly been found to be based on inferences based on canned fruit product’s visual aspects and product’s sensory properties[A2] .Canned fruits are considered healthy owing to additional nutritional benefits and health promoting in a very specific way. Additional information about health-related and nutritional benefits through the use of claims is found to be persuasive for their purchase. Although, nutrition and health claims have seem to be influencing consumption and purchase decisions, specifically when the combination claim fruit is perceived optimal.

Furthermore, this indicates that the health claims for consumers plays an significant role in their purchase behaviour. Consumers with a specific health-related need (e.g. a diabetic) will tend to buy canned fruits with claims that relates to their health needs (e.g. no added sugar).

Consumer needs and motivation in relation ‘canned fruits’.Needs is a human action, the essence of marketing which marketers examine, understand, emphasize and satisfy by putting forth a valuable proposition. The value proposition or the offering will be successful if it adds value and delivers satisfaction to the target buyer. The consumption trend and purchase decision for canned fruits is highly affected by the social and demographic factors. It has been found that higher income households as compared to the lower income households tend to spend more per capita on canned fruits and vegetables. Similarly the households headed by older persons as compared to the young heads tend to spend more on canned fruits. Consumers these days have seemingly developed a positive general attitude toward canned food purchase and consumption behavior.  The consumer’s increased health consciousness and the realization of benefits of adding fruits in the daily diet is the ground stimulator.  Sensory pleasure and hedonism clubbed with the nutritional value they add to the diet form the major drivers. Canned fruits are preferred over the fresh fruits owing to the premade ready to eat substitute[A3] .Based on total food quality modal the significance of canned fruit consumption behavior and purchase decision-making can be assed on certain determinants like beliefs, attitudes and familiarity, social influences and socio-demographics. It has been found that the common criteria used by consumers for the selection of fresh fruits from a retail store are overall fruit quality and nutritional facts mentioned on the label. Recent studies have brought out pleasure seeking and health consciousness to be the basic motivation for canned fruit consumption. Other than the taste and nutritional information presented in the product label convenience and price influence the consumer’s purchase behavior amongst the potential consumers. Packaging quality, labels with health information are assessed to be the important influential determinants affecting the consumer’s decision-making and purchase behavior. Visually appealing canned fruits packages act as a prompt for consumption and purchase intentions. Nutrition and health claims have increasingly became an established way of communicating the benefits of a fruit product. They convey the relevant information on the nutritional content of the product and health benefits that would have otherwise remain hidden or unknown to the consumers. It is also aim at helping consumers to make a better-informed and healthier food choice. Providing information about the health benefits can have a prominent effect on the likelihood of consumption, but less impact on the canned fruit pleasantness and taste. Acceptance of canned fruit products in is not unconditional. It is a complex issue as consumer responses can differ widely and is dependent on multiple facets, most prominently consumer’s individual characteristics (background attitudes and socio-demographics) and food product characteristics.Most of the consumer studies about nutrition and health claims have always considered the effects of the socio-demographic characteristics (i.e. gender and age). Several studies have mentioned that the women are more affected by the nutrition and health-related information their male counterparts, as women tend to be more inclined towards healthy eating. Individuals with more positive attitudes towards healthy eating tend to show a larger Intake of fruits. Social influences play a key role in consumer decision-making and purchase. It includes influence from partner, children, friends, relatives and colleagues

Other important motivations for canned fruit consumption are that they are perceived as having a special taste other than being healthy. Some even believed that canned fruits contain other kinds of additional vitamins and minerals than local fruits. Moreover, the desire to try something new and the need for variation has also been identified by the respondents as important drivers toward the purchase of canned fruits. Many studies have emphasized upon socio-demographic characteristics as an important determinant of canned fruit intake. Large variations are observed in fruit intake according to gender, age, social position, education and place of living. Consumer’s general beliefs and attitude towards canned fruits, their familiarity with canned fruits, and social influences affecting canned fruit consumption. It further evaluates the impact of these determinants on consumers’ intention to purchase canned fruits and investigates associations with socio-demographic characteristics. Consumer’s general attitude towards canned fruits and their products is positive. Consumers believe that both fresh and canned fruits are nutritious, healthy and good tasting. Familiarity with canned fruits differs and depends on consumers’ product knowledge and product-related experiences. Social influences have a very positive affect on people’s decision to consume canned fruits. Out of all the evaluated food choice determinants, product familiarity has observed to have the highest impact on consumers’ likelihood to purchase both fresh and canned fruits. However Socio-demographic characteristics associate with consumers’ general beliefs and attitude, product familiarity, social influence the intention to purchase canned fruits. Contrary to fresh canned fruits evoke ‘exotic’-related associations; canned fruit juices evoke lesser emotionally-loaded reactions. Spontaneous associations mentioned is the convenient and fast way of vitamin intake’.  Canned fruits contain not only a greater variety of in terms of taste but also different combinations and mixtures of fruits. Majority of consumers consume canned fruit for their pleasure. The need and satisfaction for enjoying an attractive and a good looking product can be the most important purchase motivation. Mostly, canned fruits are preferred because they have a special taste and festive character. Moreover, different exotic fruit combinations along with the convenience with which they can be consumed and compared to fresh fruits, is another important factor, which stimulates the consumption of, canned fruit juices. They consider fresh fruits as a convenient and healthy substitute for fresh fruits and perceive their consumption as an easy way of gaining all the health-related benefits from fruits. With globalization and commercialization of all the products the promotional activities and advertisements related to canned products, the influence by their brand ambassador highly influence the consumer purchase behavior.