Drivers of consumer food choices of multinational corporations’ products over local foods in Ghana: a maximum difference scaling study
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Date
2024
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Globalization and Health
Abstract
Introduction The fundamental transformation of food systems and retail environments in low-income countries
is influencing consumers’ food choices and dietary habits in unfavourable directions through the consumption
of highly processed, energy-dense foods, predominantly manufactured by multinational food corporations. This
study aims to identify the principal factors driving consumers’ preference for multinational foods over local foods
in the urban Accra region of Ghana.
Method This cross-sectional survey involving a random sample of 200 consumers conducted in March/April 2023
using interviewer-administered questionnaires employed a maximum difference scaling approach to investigate
the drivers of urban Ghanaian consumer food choices for multinational food corporations’ products over local foods.
The maximum difference scaling modelling analysis utilized in this study identifies the primary drivers of multinational
food corporations’ product preferences and the associated trade-offs.
Result The study discovered that food quality and safe packaging, perceived healthiness, taste and flavour, and nutritional
value were the most significant factors driving consumer preference for multinational food corporations’
products over local foods in Ghana. The criterion food quality and safe packaging had the significantly highest utility
than all other attributes in terms of consumer preference for products/meals from multinational food corporations
over local foods.
Conclusion The results of this study provide significant contributions to the existing body of research, as previous
studies have not identified these factors as primary drivers of multinational food products. Public health authorities
and nutritionists can use the study’s findings to implement targeted quality assurance measures in local markets
and to address the drivers in health education campaigns.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Nutrition transition, Multinational food corporations, Supermarkets, Fast-food, Consumer preferences, Ghana