Food literacy and food choice – a survey-based psychometric profiling of consumer behaviour

Bibliographic Data

ID21294985
AuthorsLeopoldo Trieste (0000-0003-2236-2419, University of Pisa), A Bazzani (0000-0003-0057-4832, University of Pisa), Alessia Amato (0000-0002-9515-7363, University of Pisa), Ugo Faraguna (0000-0002-4814-7218, University of Pisa), G Turchetti (0000-0002-1877-5459, University of Pisa)
Year2021
Volume123
Issue13
Pages124-141
Publication date2021-12-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Food Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-070X • E-ISSN: 1758-4108
PublisherEmerald (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1108/bfj-09-2020-0845
OpenAlexW3161766371
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited67

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the associations between food literacy, consumer profiling and purchasing behaviour in a sample of Italian consumers. Design/methodology/approach Participants ( N = 194) completed an online survey including personal data, two questionnaires on purchase behaviour and food consumption, the General Trust Scale (GTS), a questionnaire assessing individual chronotype and two scales about food literacy: one investigating nutritional knowledge (short food literacy questionnaire, SFLQ) and the other focussing on procedural skills (self-perceived food literacy scale, SPFL). Associations between food literacy, consumer profiling and purchase behaviour were analysed with linear regression models. Findings Participants with specific education in nutrition reported higher scores in food literacy. The final score of food literacy was predicted by a greater attention to nutritional content and nutritional properties of products. Women paid more attention to nutritional properties than men, and they obtained higher scores in SFLQ. Evening types obtained lower scores in SFPL compared to intermediate and morning chronotypes. Body mass index (BMI) was negatively correlated to SPFL score, while it was associated with the easy availability of a product, so that obese (BMI ≥ 30) subjects considered the easy availability of a product more important compared to non-obese ones (BMI < 30). Originality/value This study investigates the influence of personal and psychometric variables of consumer profiling on food literacy and consequently on purchase behaviour, paving the way for implementing healthier food consumption policies. These findings reinforce the primacy of specific education in building healthy eating habits

Body mass index · Business · Consumer behaviour · Consumer education · Environmental health · Evening · Food choice · Literacy · Nutrition facts label · Profiling (computer programming) · Purchasing · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Culinary Culture and Tourism · Marketing · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Social Psychology

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Open DOIOpen Access