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Peeling Back Biases:: Exploring Consumer Perceptions of 'Ugly' Foods
University of Gävle, Faculty of Engineering and Sustainable Development, Department of Building Engineering, Energy Systems and Sustainability Science.
2024 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE creditsStudent thesis
Sustainable development
The essay/thesis is mainly on sustainable development according to the University's criteria
Abstract [en]

This thesis explores consumer perceptions of aesthetically imperfect, or 'ugly,' foods and investigates the willingness to purchase and consume these products as a strategy to reduce food waste. The study delves into cognitive biases that lead to the rejection of nutritionally sound yet visually unappealing foods, significantly contributing to food wastage. Through a comprehensive food perception survey, this research examines the impact of visual appeal, expected taste, price, and bundling strategies on consumer choices, particularly focusing on the enhancement of the attractiveness of 'ugly' foods when paired with aesthetically pleasing ones.Key findings highlight that while consumer biases heavily influence the initial reaction of 'ugly' foods based on appearance, innovative marketing strategies like bundling can shift perceptions and increase consumer willingness to purchase. Crucially, the thesis identifies post-purchase ownership perception as a significant factor in influencing future consumer behavior. Ownership of 'ugly' foods, even in a hypothetical sense, positively affects consumers’ perceptions and behaviors, increasing their likelihood to repurchase and recommend these products, thus indicating a sustainable shift in consumption patterns. This research provides actionable insights for stakeholders in the food industry to mitigate consumer biases against 'ugly' foods, thereby enhancing sustainability and ethical consumption practices. The broader implications of these findings suggest that addressing post-purchase perceptions can effectively contribute to reducing global food wastage and fostering more environmentally responsible food consumption.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2024. , p. 32
Keywords [en]
Sub-optimal foods, food waste, consumer behavior, cognitive biases, environmental sustainability.
National Category
Environmental Sciences Psychology Food Science
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-45052OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hig-45052DiVA, id: diva2:1879688
Subject / course
Environmental Psychology
Educational program
Master in Sustainability Science – Environment and Decision Making
Presentation
2024-05-30, 14:16 (English)
Supervisors
Examiners
Available from: 2024-07-02 Created: 2024-06-28 Last updated: 2024-07-02Bibliographically approved

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Peeling Back Biases: Exploring Consumer Perceptions of 'Ugly' Foods(1160 kB)161 downloads
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CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

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Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • harvard-cite-them-right
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • sv-SE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • de-DE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf