Dimensions of food choice process of older consumers in Brazil

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess dimensions of the food choice process among older consumers. Based on Gains’ model (1994), the study focuses on the dimensions: consumer, food and context, and investigates these consumers’ heterogeneities through the identification of possible market segments. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative study was conducted with 401 respondents in Brazil. The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis. Findings The results highlighted four factors related to characteristics of food (appearance, price, packaging and quality), and four related to characteristics of the context/environment of the store (staff characteristics, external shopping environment, internal store environment and ease of access). The results also showed that older consumers liked to make food purchases, even though their options were restricted by health issues. Two segments were identified. “Older with a restricted diet” comprised consumers with lower education levels. They had fewer daily meals (three) and chose food with more regard to health. The second segment “Younger and better educated” comprised respondents with higher education levels and higher income. They had more daily meals, and health was less of a restriction on food choice than it was for the first cluster. Originality/value This study applies Gains’ three dimensions’ food choice model, with the variables adjusted in detail to enable a description of the purchasing behaviors of older adults in Brazil.