Browsing by Person "Wendt, Marie-Catherine"
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Publication Nachhaltigkeitstransformation im Agrar- und Ernährungssektor: Verbraucherakzeptanz von Innovationen bei Lebensmitteln(2024) Wendt, Marie-Catherine; Weinrich, RamonaThe current agricultural and food system is under significant pressure to transform and is in- creasingly confronted with numerous sustainability challenges and environmental, climate, and socio-political demands. Innovations in the food sector play a key role in addressing global sustainability challenges and accelerating the transformation of production and consumption patterns. However, the successful market introduction of innovative products and technologies requires consumer acceptance. This dissertation aims to investigate consumer acceptance of innovative food technologies and farming systems through empirical consumer surveys and to identify societal acceptance barriers. The study is exemplified by two subject areas. Subject Area I: “Consumer Acceptance of Technological Food Innovations” highlights that technological innovations in the food sector often face rejection, significantly hindering their market success and the transformation process. It is evident that Food Technology Neophobia (FTN) – the fear or aversion towards novel foods – is a significant predictor of the acceptance of innovative food technologies. Consumers with high FTN show a lower willingness to accept innovative food products and technologies. Assessing FTN prior to product launches is crucial for product development and marketing research. This assessment allows for estimating the success rate of innovative food products in the market, identifying potential risks early, and subsequently developing targeted strategies to overcome or reduce FTN. For the success of innovative food technologies, such as the production of cultured meat, con- sumer trust in the food industry, regulatory authorities, and science is essential. The second contribution segments the German population based on their trust in cultured meat and various actors along the food chain. Four consumer segments were identified, with trusting consumers (17.5%) forming the smallest segment. In contrast, 24.3% are classified as mistrustful consum- ers. The largest group comprises the cautious consumers (37.5%), who, together with the skep- tical consumers (20.7%), are undecided regarding their trust and purchase intention for cultured meat. Since these segments constitute almost 60% of the German population, the findings sug- gest that researching trust-building communication measures for these segments is particularly relevant. This could expand the potential target group for cultured meat and facilitate a success- ful market entry in Germany. A new agricultural concept is characterized by the complete abandonment of chemically syn- thetic pesticides while maintaining mineral fertilization. This has the potential to drive the trans- formation process towards more sustainable agriculture. In the second subject area, “Consumer Acceptance of Sustainability Innovations in Primary Production”, the market potential of pes- ticide-free animal products is examined in two interrelated contributions. Potential consumers (22.9%) show a willingness to consume pesticide-free products and to pay 31% more for pes- ticide-free milk, 23% more for cheese, and 24% more for butter than for conventional dairy products. The acceptance of these products is fostered by health consciousness, chemophobia, and perceived consumer effectiveness, while price sensitivity negatively affects acceptance. Targeted market positioning as a sustainable but more affordable alternative to organically pro- duced foods could make this innovative farming system attractive to a broad consumer base. Based on the findings, societal acceptance debates can be explained and resolved through the following aspects: (1) There is a general skepticism towards innovations in the food sector within the German population, mainly due to a lack of trust and insufficient information about production and regulatory processes. (2) Targeted communication approaches are necessary to clearly convey the added value of these products to consumers. (3) Increasing acceptance re- quires an integrative approach that includes education, transparency, and regulatory measures. Through targeted and coordinated efforts, companies, governments, and educational institu- tions can build consumer trust and promote the acceptance of new food technologies. This is essential for successfully transforming the agricultural and food system and achieving global sustainability goals.