2013 Awards for Excellence

Citation

(2014), "2013 Awards for Excellence", British Food Journal, Vol. 116 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-01-2014-001

2013 Awards for Excellence

Article Type: 2013 Awards for Excellence From: British Food Journal, Volume 116, Issue 1

The following article was selected for this year's Outstanding Paper Award for British Food Journal

``An expanded model of variety-seeking behaviour in food product choices''

Oliver Meixner & Viktoria Knoll
Institute of Marketing and Innovation, Department of Economic and Social Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to introduce and evaluate an expanded model approximating variety-seeking behaviour (VSB), which is defined as the phenomenon that consumers switch between brands because of the utility gained from the switch itself.
Design/methodology/approach - As a theoretical basis, two existing approaches, the switch (S) and the successive switch (SS) models, were examined and adjusted. The integration of both approaches led to the expanded "switch of brands" (SB) model. SB was tested empirically using panel data for a highly developed food market (the Austrian food market for three product categories, i.e. fruit juice, fruit yoghurt, and chocolate, with data for 2007 and 2008).
Findings - The integration of S and SS into the expanded SB model succeeded. Based on an annual comparison, the reliability of the SB model was tested. Since the results can be reproduced, it can be determined that the SB model is reliable. To test the explanatory power, a variable assessing brand loyalty ("brand purchase frequency") was introduced. Correlation analyses showed that the expanded variety-seeking model is more appropriate for approximating VSB than either S or SS.
Practical implications - The expanded VSB model can be applied in all product categories and markets where panel data are available. It helps to analyse panel data in view of consumers' variety seeking and brand switching behavior.
Originality/value - The expanded variety-seeking model (SB) is easy to implement and gives valid information on VSB. It can be used for marketing decisions, especially in connection to brand management.

This article originally appeared in Volume 114 Number 11, 2012, pp. 1571-1586, British Food Journal

The following articles were selected for this year's Highly Commended Award

``Organic food consumers: what do we really know about them?''

Carolyn Dimitri, Rachael L. Dettmann

This article originally appeared in Volume 114 Number 8, 2012, British Food Journal

``Food safety concern: Incorporating marketing strategies into consumer risk coping framework''

Ruth Yeung, Wallace M.S. Yee

This article originally appeared in Volume 114 Number 1, 2012, British Food Journal

Outstanding Reviewers

Dr Robert Hamlin
University of Otago, New Zealand

Juan Aguirre
Universidad Interamericana, Costa Rica