DOMINO
DOMINO is a Horizon Europe funded research project aiming to attribute health benefits to traditional fermented foods, and to develop novel plant-based fermented foods which address the changing societal demands for healthier and more sustainable nutrition. The project will last 5 years (2023-2028) and gathers 19 partners from 10 countries, in a collaboration between top universities and research centers, as well as expert non-profit organizations and the private sector.
The Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research will carry out a market and innovation analysis on fermented food (FF) products, identifying drivers of demand and supply of FF. FF producers will be identified and subjected to qualitative and quantitative surveys. A pan-EU survey will identify drivers of persistent innovative activities. In addition, the chair will carry out a multi-country consumer survey on the perception and acceptance of FF and will provide input to the FF prototypes accompanied with sensory experiments.
Funding: European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement No 101060218
Funding period: March 2023 – February 2028
Contact persons: Prof. Dr. Jutta Roosen, René Geiß, M.A.
Further information on the research project can be found here: https://www.domino-euproject.eu/
ReBIOscover
The topic of the ReBIOscover project is the rediscovery of regional cereal landraces for a sustainable production of organic food specialties. The Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research, as one of the four project partners, will develop target-group specific communication strategies for consumers. Therefore, the perception as well as preferences for products made from cereal landraces will be investigated among consumers. The approach is based on the means-end-chain analysis.
Funding: Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) under the Federal Program for Organic Farming and Other Forms of Sustainable Agriculture (BÖLN)
Funding period: January 2021 – December 2023
Contact person: René Geiß, M.A.
Further information on the research consortium can be found here: https://bioactivefc.iab.kit.edu/65_170.php
Controlling System for the Bavarian Marketing Agency for Agricultural and Food Products
The goal of this project is the development of an evaluation system for the Agency for Food Products from Bavaria". Instruments to evaluate the activities of the marketing agency are identified and aligned with the specific needs of the marketing agency.
Funding: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten
Funding Period: January 2012 – December 2023
Contact person: Dr. Corinna Hempel
Publications:
SocialLab II - Nutztierhaltung: Akzeptanz durch Innovation
Die landwirtschaftliche Tierhaltung verliert seit Jahren an gesellschaftlicher Akzeptanz. Außerdem hat sich in Deutschland bislang kein Diskussionsformat zu Fragen der marktwirtschaftlichen, gesellschaftlichen oder politischen Weiterentwicklung der Nutztierhaltung für die verschiedenen Stakeholder und ihre unterschiedlichen Interessen etabliert. Aufgefallen ist überdies, dass auf Grundlage des heute zur Verfügung stehenden wissenschaftlichen Kenntnisstandes weder das Verbraucherverhalten gegenüber innovativen Produkten noch die Akzeptanz der Gesellschaft gegenüber diesen Produkten mit einer auch nur annähernd befriedigenden Genauigkeit vorhergesagt werden kann.
Um diese für die künftige Ausrichtung der Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft extrem wichtigen Fragen zu klären, wurde das Projekt “SocialLab II - Nutztierhaltung: Akzeptanz durch Innovation” konzipiert. Die wichtigsten Aufgaben des Lehrstuhls für Marketing und Konsumforschung der Technischen Universität München im Rahmen des Projekts sind die Planung und Durchführung von Experimenten in einem virtuellen Supermarkt sowie die Messung von Kaufentscheidungen in diskreten Choice-Experimenten.
Fördergeber: Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL)
Förderdauer: Mai 2019 – Juni 2023
Ansprechpartnerin: Christina Neubig, M.Sc.
Weitere Informationen: Projektzusammenfassung www.sociallab-nutztiere.de
Publikationen:
Evaluation of the EU school programme
Applicable since August 2017, the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme combines two previous schemes (the school fruit and vegetables scheme and the school milk scheme) under a single legal framework for more efficiency and an enhanced focus on health and education. The scheme supports the distribution of aforementioned products to children from nursery to secondary school, accompanied by educational and information measures. In Bavaria the accompanying measures are subsumed in the programme „Voll in Form“.
The aim of the school scheme is to increase the awareness of the diversity of fruit, vegetables and milk(products), to raise their appreciation, and to promote healthy eating habits among children. Within our research project we evaluate the implementation and sustainable effects of the EU school programme, as well as the effectiveness of the accompanying educational measures.
Funding: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten
Funding period: April 2018 – August 2022
Contact person: Prof. Dr. Jutta Roosen, Nadine Benninger, M.Sc.
Further informationen: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/news/eu-school-scheme-2018-sep-03_en
enable 2.0 - Healthy food choices in all stages of life
Over- and malnutrition as well as the diseases and costs associated with them represent a global challenge. The enable cluster represents an interdisciplinary consortium of leading research institutions who jointly develop new approaches to improve nutrition behavior in the population.
Focus Area 6.1: Healthy consumer choices in a complex food market environment
In this module, the Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research aims at identifying the drivers of purchase decisions for food products with a healthy nutrient profile and to improve our understanding of heterogeneous substitution behavior within selected product categories. We will derive recommendations for tailored marketing and communication strategies, for the development of new and healthier food products, and for the design of effective food and nutrition policies.
To reach these goals, we will econometrically quantify the impact of strategic variables on food choice based on comprehensive household purchase data and identify and characterize heterogeneous consumer segments according to their demographics, attitudes, and behavior. Additionally, we will identify the cognitive determinants of food choice based on implicit association tests and surveys and compare these results with findings from the market data.
Funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Funding Period: September 2018 – April 2022
Contact Person: Christina Neubig
Further information available at: www.enable-cluster.de/en/
Publications:
Consumer perception and acceptance of an recommender system enabled by artificial intelligence
This project investigates how consumers perceive AI-enabled technology aiding their consumption decisions; how socio-demographic and psychological characteristics are related to their acceptance; and if their perception can create potential barriers in the use of AI.
Using the example of a food recommender system augmented with elements of nudging, we aim to assess whether consumers perceive the technology as increasing or decreasing their well-being. An AI-enabled recommender system is not only able to learn consumer preferences from choices made in the past, but also consumer reactions to nudges and if a given nudge is effective or not. The system can use this information to construct choice environments tailored to consumer preferences and decision-making processes. Since the system is able to influence consumer choice without the consumer’s realization of being influenced, there is potential for abuse of choice-related consumer data and ethical implication related to consumer choice autonomy. Based on the results of the project, policy recommendations for informing consumers about the role of technology in consumer choice will be provided.
Funding: TUM Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence
Funding period: October 2019 - September 2020
Women in Agriculture – living and working situation, social security and the role of women in agriculture
The project examines the living and working situation of women in agriculture, their social security position, and the role of women in agriculture. The changing rural demography, the ongoing agricultural restructuring combined with changes in the understanding of gender roles affects the life of farm women. Based on a survey, the social and economic situation of women in agriculture in Bavaria are examined and compared across time using results from previous studies.
Funding: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten
Funding Period: April 2019 – December 2020
FreeWalk: Development of economically viable and socially accepted free walk cattle housing systems
The FreeWalk project aims to develop and evaluate free walk cattle housing systems which improve animal welfare, animal health, re-use waste products, ameliorate soil structure and have positive consumer acceptance. The project is a collaboration among eight universities and research institutes throughout Europe. The free walk systems that are assessed are the compost bedded pack barn and the artificial floor, using tie-stall and cubicle housing systems as points of comparison. The project takes an integrative approach to assess case farms taking into account the entire farm: bedding, artificial floor, animal welfare, animal health, manure quality, soil structure, CPN-balances, and product quality. Societal acceptance of the housing systems is assessed at the national level. In order to integrate the results from each project component, systems analysis and economic evaluation is performed at farm, national, and European levels.
The Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research contributes to the project by assessing consumer perceptions and acceptance of food products from the four cattle housing systems (tie-stall, cubicle, compost bedded, artificial floor) with a focus on animal welfare, product quality, and food safety. Attitudes and willingness to pay for products from the housing systems are estimated.
Funding period: June 2017 - June 2020
Further Information available at: www.freewalk.eu
Don’t be a Food Waster
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that globally a third of all food produced for consumption is wasted, which equals to an amount of 1.3 billion tons per year. In European countries, consumers are responsible for about 50% of food waste and loss. Food waste does not only involve financial, but also major social and environmental impacts, e.g., related to CO2 emissions and water use. To reduce the amount of food waste is a declared goal of the United Nations as well as the European Commission. The international research project “Don’t be a Food Waster” aims at contributing to that objective. In the process, the Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research at the Technical University of Munich is involved in developing and exploring effective behavioral interventions to reduce consumer’s food waste.
Funding: EIT Food
Funding period: January 2018 – December 2018
enable 1.0 - Healthy food choices in all stages of life
The enable cluster develops new strategies to promote healthier food choices in all stages of life. The research is interdisciplinary at the interface of nutrition and food sciences, consumer science, as well as computer and communication sciences. The project wants to demonstrate that modern nutrition including convenience products and a healthy lifestyle do not have to contradict each other. The development of new and healthier products counteracts unhealthy food choices and behavior. Furthermore, the cluster utilizes modern information and communication technology to actively promote healthy food choices of consumers.
Work Package 2.7
Work package 2.7 uses life transitions (e.g., change in household size or change of job) as mechanism to promote healthier choices and to increase acceptance of the new products. The goal of the project is to support food product development through concept and market tests: Food product development should be in line with consumer feedback to ensure that the developed product is accepted by the consumer. Furthermore, the influence of health information, purchase situation and life phase on food choice is investigated.
Work Package 3.3
The aim of Work Package 3.3 is the optimization of the process of computer-based food ordering so that it leads to the choice of a more balanced diet. An experiment will be performed on an ordering terminal to gain insight into the changes in the choice route that are most effective to reach this goal.
Funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
Funding Period: June 2015 – May 2018
Publications:
SocialLab– Animal husbandry practices in the mirror of society
Animal husbandry practices are increasingly questioned by the public. Social expectations and modern agriculture are in many respects not in line with each other. Against this background, the research project SocialLab addresses the question how society perceives farm animal husbandry and how different actors assess the possibilities and limitations for establishing products with higher animal welfare standards on the market. The research project is carried out by a consortium led by the Thünen-Institute of Market Analysis. The Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research focuses on the role of animal husbandry practices in purchasing decisions. In particular, willingness to pay for products produced under higher animal welfare standards is analyzed. Furthermore, the Chair aims at identifying trustworthy actors for the communication of higher animal welfare standards.
Funding: Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
Funding period: May 2015 – December 2018
Further information: www.sociallab-nutztiere.de
Publications:
Evaluation of the European school fruit scheme in Bavaria – An analysis of the effects on the food consumption behavior of school children and determination of enhancers and barriers
Evaluation of the European school fruit scheme in Bavaria – An analysis of the effects on the food consumption behavior of school children and determination of enhancers and barriers
During the school year 2010/11 European school children participated for the first time in the voluntary school fruit scheme that is financed by the European Union and the regions in the member states. In Bavaria more than 80% of all primary school children now participate in the program. The school fruit scheme provides school children with fruit and vegetables in school with the aim to encourage fruit and vegetable intake of children. The goal of this research project is to evaluate the implementation of the school fruit scheme in Bavaria and to determine important drivers and barriers.
Funding: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten
Funding Period: Sep. 2013 – Dez. 2016
Publications:
Final report (only German)
EEBatt – Interdisciplinary energy storage research
The Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research is engaged in this multi-disciplinary project by conducting customer-value analyses of private households and regional authorities. The analyses provide insights into potential business models and conclusions are drawn regarding relevant product requirements. In later stages, these findings are further evaluated in willingness-to-pay analyses and the investigation of product-related services. Furthermore, the risks and opportunities of these new technologies and business models will be analyzed.
Funding: Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology
Funding period: May 2013 – Sept. 2016
Publications:
Local and Organic: Purchasing Motives and Behavior regarding Bavarian Organic Products
The aim of the project is to analyze consumers’ purchase behavior of with respect to Bavarian organic food. Purchasing motives and barriers that increase consumers uncertainty when buying organic food of local origin are measured. Also, the role and linkage of localness and organic in consumers’ perception is studied. Based on these research results recommendations for the marketing of local organic food in Bavaria are developed.
Funding: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten; Neumarkter Lammsbräu Gebr. Ehrnsperger KG; Ludwig Stocker Hofpfisterei GmbH
Funding Period: Sept. 2011 – Aug. 2013
Final Report: Regional und Bio: Kaufmotive und Kaufverhalten bei bayerischen Ökoprodukten (only German)
Publications:
Recommendations for actions for an optimized Consumer Information Policy – exemplary for the Energy Sector
This joint project deals with the adjustment of consumer information provided by the government to the challenges of our times. Energy and electricity have been selected as area of application because they are relevant to society and topical for consumers. Consisting of two parts, the project first analyses stakeholder dialogues as a means to unveil the information need for a fast changing, personally relevant and emotional topic. The theme was discussed by different stakeholders and overlap of different opinions and interests was identified. The innovative approach called “Großgruppenveranstaltung” was used in this setting for the first time in Bavaria. Second, a consumer experiment was conducted to research the design of consumer information for it being perceived and processed by consumers and to lead to changes in attitude and behavior. Results of the joint project are concrete suggestions to improve consumer information in the field of energy and electricity, especially on the topic of Smart Meters, from the perspectives of both consumers and stakeholders. Additionally, the results can be generalized to make a statement on how to improve consumer information in general.
Funding: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz
Funding Period: February 2014 - April 2015