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This study explores technological factors influencing the development of functional food products. The specific aim was to investigate if the concept of a dominant design holds true for functional foods. By using consumer acceptance as the measure of product dominance, it is postulated that market pressure inherent to functional foods becomes established by the perceived value to consumers. This value is due to the inherent and documented health advantages, taste, user convenience and competitive price. Switching costs, which create barriers to entry, for functional foods are due to the establishment of a technological solution, patenting, meeting regulatory approval and brand assets in connection to marketing. It is also postulated that in the development of functional foods, a product innovation phase leads into process innovation alternatives. These alternatives arise from different precursors of dominant designs.

Discusses the role appearance plays in influencing consumer perception and subsequent acceptance of a food product. Texture and flavour have long since been known to exert an effect on consumer perception. However, the “first taste is almost always with the eye”. This is especially the case where a food product is sold through its appearance, rather than through its packaging. In addition, appearance can have a halo effect which modifies subsequent flavour perception and food acceptability. The article also briefly discusses the many factors that affect the perception process and the significance of food product development in the food industry.

Food technology and innovation have had a large impact on British food retailing affecting suppliers, retailers and their markets. Technology has invaded many areas of the British food industry providing efficient technical knowledge and new products. Innovative retailers have anticipated the food market metamorphosis and have repositioned their retail activities to take advantage of the changing market environment. The central objective of this study was to assess retailers′ technical innovations in food manufacturing, and to achieve this a research technique was adopted and conducted with leading UK food retailers. The results suggested that food retailers′ technological capabilityi affects the method of own‐label procurement and choice of suppliers. Those retailers who were able to influence food innovation all have large food technology departments, employing food technologists to meet consumer food requirements and legal obligations, and who collaborate with their suppliers to develop new products. Concludes that innovation is vital to the future of both food manufacturers and retailers, and novel and significantly different new products and/or services will ensure success either way.

This paper aims to determine the response of manufacturers and retailers to voluntary UK front of package (FOP) schemes through food product innovations.

A food innovation database (Global New Products Database) was used to track all food products released in the UK from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2008. Meal, bakery and breakfast cereal products were classified into two groups, according to whether the food category was targeted by the Food Standard Agency (FSA) for FOP labelling. Analysis includes descriptive statistics and cross‐tabulations of factors such as product category, type of FOP scheme, company, and year.

Private label brands dominate food innovations in the UK. The use of FOP labels is selective among companies and across food categories. Guideline daily allowance (GDA) labelling is more widely adopted than the traffic light labelling system (TLS). Both systems have been more broadly adopted in target food categories when compared to non‐target food categories.

The database used to conduct this research provides detailed data on food product innovations released in the UK. However, this is not linked to sales data and therefore cannot be used to analyse changes in consumption due to FOP labelling systems. Nevertheless, the response of food manufacturers and retailers in their innovation strategies is a critical piece to understanding how voluntary labelling polices may impact public health.

The paper presents evidence of dynamics of supply‐side responses to increasing consumer demand for healthier foods.

An attitudinal survey of British food and drink manufacturers producing “lite” products carried out in late 1990 is described. A 70 per cent response rate from a postal questionnaire of representative companies in the “lite” market showed a large degree of consistency in results: the market is still in the early stages of development; there is some confusion among consumers about “lite” products – consumers need to be educated in using them; there is a North/South divide in their use; and strong growth is expected in the market in future years.

The usage and preference of western imported food in a Muslim-majority state signifies its importance and relevance in a specific culture. However, the inclination and preference toward imported food products must be backed by a strong motivation, when the religion of Islam does not permit overspending yet the amount spent on such imported food products is overwhelming. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore the motivation behind this behavior.

This is a qualitative study, and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 90 participants comprising professionals, housewives and university students from eight cities in Pakistan, which represented different regions and demographic variables. These were Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Faisalabad and Larkana. The technique used to analyze the qualitative interview findings was thematic content analysis. To confirm the results, Leximancer software Version 4.5 was used to reanalyze and validate them. Moreover, the purposive sampling method has been used in this research.

The findings from the qualitative-focused interviews revealed that the product attributes of packaging with attractive colors, design, size, overall quality material, taste and labeling with maximum product information influenced their purchase behavior. The vast majority reported that food products coming from the west needed to be halal, and this is an important deciding factor for purchase. Also, the level of religiosity related to western imported food buying behavior varies from city to city, which itself an interesting finding from a Muslim-majority population. Brand trust, loyalty, satisfaction, subjective norms were influential factors for Muslim consumers’ purchase behavior.

This paper is qualitative in nature, and therefore, the generalizability of the study results is limited. Also, this study only focused on Muslim consumer buying behavior from a Muslim-dominated country.

This study is instrumental for western food producers and exporters, providing valuable information about the motives behind the purchase of western imported food products in Pakistan, and by extension, potentially in Muslim countries in general. The study’s findings would add value to the field of consumer behavior, in which little research has been conducted on the relationship between consumer motives in context with Muslims’ consumer behavior toward western imported food products.

The presence of western imported food products may give better options for consumers so that they can pick a quality product for their own and family usage. The placement of the halal logo and extra care of halal ingredients also assures the religious and cultural requirements, enabling the western imported food products to penetrate quickly.

The findings of the qualitative-focused interviews revealed that the level of religiosity varies from city to city. Even though the core religion is Islam, the level of religious commitment varies in different cities when it comes to the purchase of western imported food products. The interview findings discovered some reasons behind this behavior such as consumer demographic profile, cultural background, income level, education, lifestyle, family background and social class. This means that demographic variation plays an important role in religious commitment and especially across cites that possess different cultural and behavioral patterns.

The paper aims at investigating whether and how the product designation of origin (PDO) label influences consumers' acceptance, attributes' perception and purchase intention of PDO foods.

The study employs an experimental lab study based on the affective test of acceptance methodology with a nine-point hedonic scale. Three PDO foods are compared with similar non-PDO samples concerning cheese, cured ham and olive oil categories.

The presence of PDO labels enhances the consumers' acceptance as well as their perception of sensory attributes. A critical role of the brand name as an enhancer of consumer acceptance also emerges, highlighting the relationship between brand-name and PDO label.

The main limitation is related to the lab study methodology, which employs a small number of participants and occurs far from a “normal” situation of consumption. The acceptance test, moreover, does not provide explanations about motives underlying the differences in consumers' perception and preferences.

Practical implications are suggested for food companies concerning the management of both PDO labels and brand strategies and the product's properties that could improve the sensory perception of consumers and their overall product's acceptance.

The study contributes to the debate on consumer behaviour towards PDO foods by adding evidence about the positive influence of such a certification on individual preferences on the basis of a sensory methodology that has been little employed for studying the domain of product certifications.

In a developing country like India, consumers are shifting from high-energy diet to balanced nutritional diet, which enhances the metabolic, physiological, functional and health benefits of consumers. The growing self-care and health-embracing population made the probiotic sector as lucrative market for functional food manufacturers and suppliers. Therefore, an analysis is required to understand consumers’ knowledge and buying behavior regarding probiotic products for product innovation and development.

Awareness, knowledge and consumption patterns of probiotic products were investigated among randomly selected 306 consumers in the Sonipat city of Haryana, which comes in the proximity of national capital, i.e. Delhi, India. A structured questionnaire with exploratory characteristics was developed and face-to-face interviews were conducted as a part of data collection.

The inference is that there is immense potential for the probiotic fruit beverage market as a higher proportion of the population was interested in probiotic products delivered with fruits as a base matrix followed by dairy products. Further, government’s initiation and support are required not only for manufacturing such health-beneficial products having therapeutic value but also to spread awareness regarding the necessity of including such products in the meals of the growing children.

The study shows changing customer attitudes toward probiotic products and sheds light on consumers’ preference on the medium (food matrix) of probiotic delivery, thereby exploring market opportunities in the area of the functional food sector.

The reduction of food waste is still a pending issue that governments have still not resolved. In response to this problem mobile platforms are emerging that follow food ecology and the responsible consumption of food, and self-management of their access to allow the communication between people and their use of food. In this paper, the authors will analyze the main digital platforms that deal with solving this problem, especially those that fulfill a social commitment through the distribution and reduction of waste.

To provide solutions, the authors will address the importance of new technologies in the fight against waste, using digital platforms to manage food and to eliminate the loss in surplus products. To do this, the authors will first analyze from a theoretical point of view the concepts of “loss”, “waste” and “surplus product”, incorporating data of their impact between Spain and Italy. Next, the authors will analyze the influence of new technologies in the detection and distribution of products destined to become food waste. To carry out this qualitative research, the authors will apply the research strategy of theory building from multiple case studies (particularly 16 different digital platforms against food waste were analyzed), which is a methodological approach that uses cases as the basis to develop theory inductively.

The authors must make the public aware of the importance of being responsible consumers. To this end, the authors must disclose the problems associated with food waste and surplus product, presenting alternatives and new consumption habits. For this, it is necessary to collaborate and build synergies with organizations of different origins (consumers, producers and activists) involved in sustainable agrifood models. In this sense, digital platforms are essential tools to fight against food waste, preventing certain products from being considered unfit for human consumption. In this study, the authors suggest that, based on the review of the literature and the analysis of apps and blogs, the authors look for solutions to surplus and food waste both from the environment of the entrepreneur and the consumer and all using the new technologies.

The research has raised different limitations. On the one hand, it is a subject that has not been analyzed from a doctrinal point of view, so it is not easy to find bibliographic references. On the other hand, digital platforms that act on food waste are not cataloged. This has made it difficult to search for elements of analysis to obtain results in the work. Finally, the sample can vary in a short period of time since the digital platforms are in a boom, which means that they constantly change.

This work allows a theoretical approach to the concepts of “loss”, “wastage” and “surplus product”, incorporating data on its impact in Spain and Italy, comparing it with the rest of Europe while providing figures and data on their impact. On the other hand, it allows us to know how new technologies can help the detection and distribution of products destined to become food waste. Finally, there are examples of platforms that are offering service in different areas, incorporating a novel classification that allows us to know the differences depending on their origin and destination.

The originality of the work can be summarized in the following points: There are no doctrinal works that analyze in a combined way the food waste with the new technologies; The relationship with the 2030 Agenda in which responsible consumption is one of the achievements pursued by the United Nations, and the authors position the study’s research as an evidence of platforms that are currently working in the interest of reducing food waste. Furthermore, the authors provide an early classification of platforms based on their usability and objectives of reducing, reusing and recycling food.

Using a consumer-led approach, the purpose of this research is to examine how consumers perceive new cereal-based snack food concepts using healthy brewers spent grain (BSG) as a sustainable and functional ingredient.

In-depth laddering interviews based on means–end chain theory were conducted with 40 healthy snack consumers in Dublin, Ireland.

Four hierarchical value maps (HVM) representing data from each snack concept dimensions were generated. The results identified the crispy crackers concept as the most promising for further development, followed by crispy sticks with dip, fruity biscuits and twisted breadsticks. Consumer cognitions regarding the crispy sticks with dip and fruity biscuits were more dominantly associated with a hedonic orientation, while crispy crackers and twisted breadsticks were more strongly associated with health- related dimensions. The HVMs also identified factors which could potentially prevent the acceptance of these snacks. Although consumers displayed a level of environmental consciousness regarding the perceived packaging type, outcomes also showed that the environmental benefit of using BSG in foods is not viewed as a means to attain a desired end state in the consumers’ mind. Our findings also suggest the rich protein content of BSG is not considered relevant in the context of a cereal snack product.

BSG is an abundant, low-cost, nutritious waste material which is available globally in large quantities. This study provides new actionable consumer insights with important implications for snack manufacturers regarding the design and development of cereal snack foods containing this healthy by-product.

This study contributes to a limited body of literature by illustrating which product characteristics are considered important for consumers when selecting healthy, cereal-based snack foods using BSG as an ingredient.