Hanna Bellner

Ph.D Student

Phone: +46 (0)46 222 43 48

Mobile:

Fax: +46 (0)46 222 42 16

E-mail: hanna.bellner@fek.lu.se

Research

Communication- and Marketing Strategies in the Functional Foods Area.

In Western societies food-related health problems have become a major challenge. The food industry has seen a market opportunity in developing products with health enhancing elements, so-called functional foods, as these products are seen to have a potential in the prevention of food-related health problems. However, earlier research indicates that consumer knowledge and awareness of functional foods is limited, which acts restraining for the functional food market. Hence, one of the major challenges for the food industry is the communication of health messages in their marketing of functional foods, where these health benefits must be communicated in an understandable way to the consumers. Therefore it is important, both for the food-industry’s future product development as well as for consumers in their effort to improve health, to get an in-depth understanding of consumers’ perception of and reasoning concerning functional foods. This project focuses on how consumers perceive and reason regarding products marketed as functional foods. Examples of questions included in the project are; What knowledge do consumers have about products marketed as health enhancing? What different factors may potentially influence choices of these types of products?

 

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