Search results
1 – 10 of over 12000Dan A. Petrovici and Christopher Ritson
An analysis of patterns of food consumption in Romania is undertaken with the UK used as a benchmark when appropriate. The period of transition in Romania towards a more…
Abstract
An analysis of patterns of food consumption in Romania is undertaken with the UK used as a benchmark when appropriate. The period of transition in Romania towards a more market‐oriented economy has involved substantial changes in patterns of food consumption and significant year‐to‐year variation. The decline in real incomes provides an interesting validation of Engel’s law on the relationships between household income and food expenditure. There is evidence that Romanian diet is deteriorating relative to modern nutrition guidelines; possible policy responses are discussed.
Marion M. Hetherington, Ali Bell and Barbara J. Rolls
The pleasantness of a food declines with consumption and this phenomenon has been demonstrated reliably in the short‐term. To investigate long‐term effects of repeat consumption…
Abstract
The pleasantness of a food declines with consumption and this phenomenon has been demonstrated reliably in the short‐term. To investigate long‐term effects of repeat consumption on pleasantness, preference and intake, 21 volunteers consumed either a salty snack (french fries) or sweet snack (chocolate) every day for 15 days. Four dependent variables were measured: pleasantness ratings, ranked preference, frequency of consumption and ad libitum intake. Daily pleasantness of taste ratings decreased across the exposure period only for chocolate. Ranked preference for chocolate declined during the sweet snack condition and increased during the salty snack condition. Preference for french fries remained the same during the salty snack condition and increased during the sweet snack condition. Frequency of consuming chocolate outside the laboratory decreased during the sweet snack exposure. No such pattern was found for french fries in either condition. Ad libitum intake in the laboratory remained the same over time for both foods. Short‐term sensory‐specific satiety within the eating episode was consistent over time. Therefore, long‐term monotony effects were found only for pleasantness, preference and frequency of eating chocolate following repeated exposure, but these changes had no impact on ad libitum intake. Systematic, repeat exposure to a single food provides a useful paradigm for investigating the development of monotony.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to review the theoretical background, methodological extensions, and empirical applications of the Engel curve, which is applied to the research of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the theoretical background, methodological extensions, and empirical applications of the Engel curve, which is applied to the research of the change in farmers’ welfare and food demand in China after the economic reform in 1978, compared with the statistics of income and food consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper mainly uses the traditional method of Engel curve, which is compared with income growth and food consumption, to study farmers’ welfare improvement in rural China.
Findings
The Engel coefficients identify three different stages for farmers’ welfare change after 1978. The first stage is the period between 1978 and 1988, in which farmers’ welfare has been continuously enhanced due to the institutional bonus of the 1978 economic reform and increased government purchase price of agricultural products. The second stage is the period between 1989 and 1995, in which farmers’ welfare has been slightly deteriorated mainly due to the end of institutional reform bonus, suppressed food prices, relative high inflation, and instable political situation. The third stage is the period after 1995, in which farmers’ welfare returns to a growing path, as the dual price system was abolished, the transition from a planned economy to a market economy had been completed, and the government carried out protective policies for agriculture and started to heavily subsidize agriculture. The Engel coefficient still remained at a very high level at 0.59 in 1995, but it continuously decreased to 0.33 in 2015. The welfare enhancement for farmers mainly results from deepened market-oriented reform, protective policies for agriculture, and prevalent off-farm employment. The Engel coefficient is also linked to food demand elasticities. Along with the decreasing Engel coefficient in the past 40 years, income elasticities also continuously decrease from 0.55 in 1978 to 0.08 in 2015. Food demand is very inelastic now, and any further increase in income will not substantially increase food demand any more.
Research limitations/implications
Inequality has not been analyzed.
Originality/value
This paper reviews the methodological advantages of the Engel curves, and uses it to identify different stages of welfare change and estimate income elasticities of food demand for farmers in China after the 1978 economic reform.
Details
Keywords
Pomi Shahbaz, Shamsheer ul Haq, Ismet Boz, Babar Aziz and Abida Hafeez
Covid-19 is a serious threat to the dietary quality of vulnerable communities in developing countries with limited economic resources. This study explored the implications of…
Abstract
Purpose
Covid-19 is a serious threat to the dietary quality of vulnerable communities in developing countries with limited economic resources. This study explored the implications of COVID-19 on daily dietary behavior and food consumption patterns of perishable and nonperishable food commodities based on the gender of household headship in Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
The data was collected through an online survey using the snowball sampling technique. A mixed design ANOVA, an independent t-test and a multivariate probit model were used to look at the data from 417 female-headed households and 1,131 male-headed households that were surveyed in the study.
Findings
Female-headed households experienced a greater decrease in their daily intake of perishable and nonperishable food commodities compared to male-headed households during COVID-19. The decrease in consumption of perishable food commodities was greater than the decrease in nonperishable food commodities for both female-headed and male-headed households. Female-headed households witnessed the largest decrease in daily intake of animal-derived foods, while male-headed households observed the highest diminution in consumption of fruits. Female-headed households and male-headed households reduced their consumption of perishable food commodities by more than one-third and one-fifth, respectively. Households with lower socioeconomic status reported higher reductions in their daily intakes of food commodities compared to households with higher socioeconomic status.
Research limitations/implications
The cross-sectional nature of the collected data does not allow the development of a causal relationship between COVID-19 implications and food consumption changes in daily dietary patterns.
Originality/value
Dietary and consumption patterns of populations are changing worldwide due to COVID-19. There is no study to assist policymakers in determining how COVID-19 is affecting the daily food consumption patterns of perishable and non-perishable food commodities of households based on gender in the developing world.
Details
Keywords
The major uncertainties about the eventual success of macroeconomic stabilization measures, the eventual ownership and control of privatized enterprises, the viability of certain…
Abstract
The major uncertainties about the eventual success of macroeconomic stabilization measures, the eventual ownership and control of privatized enterprises, the viability of certain enterprises and sectors can have significant influence on the market economy of Armenia during the transition period. In the face of these uncertainties, inadequate transport and access to markets remain major obstacles to economic development and employment. After liberalization in 1991, consumer subsidies were eliminated and consequently food prices rose. Local price increases combined with the decline in real income and out migration led to a fall in domestic demand for food products as well as significant changes in food consumption patterns. Possibly the chief obstacle to increasing farm income and the most difficult problem for food processing companies to overcome are the marketing constraints. There is no appropriate scale marketing and transport infrastructure for small farmers. The lack of market information system is another problem, resulting in many farmers producing the same crops which were previously profitable, causing a glut. The break‐up of collective agriculture in Armenia resulted in over 300,000 small diversified farms which grow five or more crops and have two or more animal species. With limited export markets, the country lacks adequate markets for much of its agricultural production, as well as the economies of scale for the investments in agri‐processing and manufacturing industry which are necessary to stimulate employment and farm income. Armenia is in a prime position to take advantage of the organic market opportunities. If the developed world is going to subsidize organic food production, Armenia may have competitive advantage with low cost production and very little use of fertilizers, pesticides and other restricted materials for the last ten years.
Details
Keywords
Eka Rastiyanto Amrullah, Aris Rusyiana and Hiromi Tokuda
This study aims to explore the structural changes in food consumption expenditure in Indonesia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using data from the 2020 and 2021 National…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the structural changes in food consumption expenditure in Indonesia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using data from the 2020 and 2021 National Socioeconomic Survey by Statistics Indonesia.
Design/methodology/approach
The quadratic almost-ideal demand system analysis model is used to estimate changes in the share of food consumption and the demand and price elasticity of food commodities in Indonesia. A total of 15 food items are analyzed to determine changes in food consumption expenditure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Findings
The results of this study show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in the proportion of household expenditure related to the consumption of home-cooked food. Simultaneously, the proportion of expenditure on prepared food significantly decreased.
Practical implications
The pandemic has changed household food consumption in Indonesia. This study recommends that the government ensure the availability of supplies and stability of food prices and provide financial subsidies to maintain food consumption, especially for lower-income communities.
Originality/value
There has yet to be a study on the changes in household food consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Therefore, this research provides empirical evidence that there were changes in household food expenditure during the pandemic.
Details
Keywords
In those frightening years between the two Wars and governments in France came and went with dismal frequency, it used to be said that any French Government which permitted food…
Abstract
In those frightening years between the two Wars and governments in France came and went with dismal frequency, it used to be said that any French Government which permitted food prices to rise had no chance whatever of surviving, and the result was that food was bountiful and incredibly cheap. Times have changed dramatically but not the attitude of people to the price and availibility of food and, in particular of political control; this is very much the same as always. Mostly, it revolves around the woman and what she sees as an abuse, greed and taking mean advantage of prevailing conditions and, make no mistake, this will be reflected in the political field; in the way she votes. It has happened in previous elections; it will happen in even greater degree in the next election and, although not decisive, it can have a not insignificant impact. None know better than the housewife how meaningless is the smug talk of the politicians when it comes to food prices. Their attitude may not have been the main factor in throwing out the last Conservative Government; this was undoubtedly the fear that their continuance in office would result in widespread strikes and the serious effect these upheavals have on food prices (and other household necessit ies), but the votes of woman were an unimportant contribution. As it was, it mattered little to the muscle men of the trade unions which party is in power. Women's talk around the shops and supermarket's, up and down the High Street to‐day is one long grumble and disillusionment with politicians generally.
Bashir Kurfi Babangida, Roslan Abdul Hakim and Hussin Bin Abdullah
The goal of this paper is to validate the second-order model for the economic welfare scale in the context of violence. This study also aims to assess the relationship between the…
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this paper is to validate the second-order model for the economic welfare scale in the context of violence. This study also aims to assess the relationship between the dimensions of the economic welfare scale’ declining food consumption and loss of income and the overall latent construct and assess the second-order model’s goodness of fit using appropriate fit indices.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is cross-sectional with a sample of 600 households from the violent zone, Northwest Nigeria. The data collected was used for confirmatory factor analysis, second-order model evaluation and model fit evaluation.
Findings
The second-order model for the economic welfare scale is valid and reliable; the dimensions significantly affect the formation of the overall construct. The model’s goodness of fit fulfilled the relevant fit indices.
Research limitations/implications
The study offers researchers and policymakers practical insights into how each dimension influences the latent operational construct. It, therefore, encompasses replication in all the remaining modules.
Practical implications
The findings offer practical insight to policymakers in designing policies for promoting long-term peace structures and developing mechanisms to assist those who have suffered the greatest economic welfare losses due to violence in Nigeria.
Social implications
The findings form an essential tool to assess the economic welfare effect in violently affected territories at the micro-level.
Originality/value
The outcomes are ground-breaking by validating the second-order model for the economic welfare scale. And established dimension influences over the overall latent variable.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this study is to create an opportunity to see what is wrong with agriculture and provide an opportunity for much needed change. It identified who benefits or bears…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to create an opportunity to see what is wrong with agriculture and provide an opportunity for much needed change. It identified who benefits or bears the pains of food prices increase, examines the causes and effects of the increase and discusses policy responses by various countries and the implications of such interventions.
Design/methodology/approach
Secondary data were employed and analyzed through simple descriptive statistics.
Findings
The results of the findings showed that increase in food prices affects the nutrition of not only the poor but also the working and middle classes. It limits the food consumption of the poor and worsens the dietary quality. It revealed that foods are available in many countries but millions of people have no purchasing power. Some of the driving forces of price increase include expansion of biofuels, high demand for food, and high cost of food production, climate change, unfavorable government policy and underinvestment in agricultural innovation. Contrary to the opinion that increased food prices benefit farmers, this study observed that the marketers benefit most. High costs of inputs and inflation make it difficult or impossible to produce by smallholder farmers.
Originality/value
The recent increase in food prices around the world has raised serious concerns about food and nutrition security of people. As part of intervention, several countries have banned grain exports and tariff reductions on imported foods in others. The export restrictions and import subsidies have harmful effects on import‐dependent trading partners and give wrong incentives to farmers by reducing their potential market size. The price controls employed by some countries reduce farmers' incentives to produce more food.
Details
Keywords
Presents the results of recent empirical research on the increasing consumer sensitivity to health issues in Belgium. Focuses on factors that determine consumer behaviour in…
Abstract
Presents the results of recent empirical research on the increasing consumer sensitivity to health issues in Belgium. Focuses on factors that determine consumer behaviour in relation to light products, using both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. In‐depth diagnostic interviews are used qualitatively to develop a structured questionnaire, and quantitatively, a mail survey was organized through which the questionnaire was completed by 1,891 households. Analyses the results of the questionnaire by means of the Triandis model to determine behaviour towards light products. Eight components are analysed to explain behaviour: cognitive; affective; moral; social; behavioural control; willingness to change behaviour; facilitating conditions; and habits. Results reveal that dairy products are the most popular of the “light” products, though they do not have a far from “light” image. Behaviour is dominated by a preoccupation with weight control and illness prevention, and is highly influenced also by the household’s view. However, the “light” focus on the slim figure is now less appreciated by consumers, while a more dominant role is being allocated to health aspects. From a marketing point of view, a dramatic switch in product development and communication is needed.
Details