Consumers’ willingness to buy dairy product imitations (analogues) based on structural equation modelling

Abstract

Purpose Replacement of milk fat with vegetable fats (e.g. coconut oil or palm fat) in sour cream is a well-established practice among producers – these products are called sour cream imitations or sour cream analogues. Although sour cream imitations are legitimate products, consumers might be confused by them. The purpose of this paper is to assess the familiarity of sour cream imitations, the opinion of consumers, and to map the factors that may affect purchasing decision. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative consumer survey (n=1,000) has been conducted in 2017 based on personal interviews. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings Results showed that the majority of Hungarian consumers have already purchased a sour cream imitation. In total, 69.65 per cent of them bought the imitation product accidentally: packaging and placement on the shelves were mentioned as major reasons. And 44.68 per cent of the respondents consider this product category to be misleading. Path modelling revealed that the perceived price-value ratio of the product and the respondent’s culinary skill, knowledge, consciousness and general preference of sour cream have a significant impact on the willingness to buy of sour cream imitations. Originality/value Sour cream imitations are accepted as reasonable cheaper alternatives to sour cream as it has been revealed by descriptive statistical methods and structural equation modelling. However, producers and retailers should avoid misleading packaging and product placement. General communication to broaden consumer knowledge would be also important. The study provides evidence-based input for producers, retailers, marketing experts and policy makers on consumer behaviour regarding food product analogues.