Analysis of the perception and behaviour of consumers regarding probiotic dairy products

Abstract

In recent years there has been an increase in the supply and variety of dairy products with probiotic claims; the objective of this paper was to evaluate the perception and profile of consumers, their beliefs about probiotic effectiveness, consumption habits and their understanding of the information provided on packaging. Through the technique of Word Association, it was observed that the most cited dimension was “sensory characteristics”, which covers the words: appearance, texture and flavour. Nutritional and health-related aspects were significantly frequent for probiotic yoghurt products, being cited mainly by words related to intestinal health. Consumers were found to be unaware some probiotic dairy products. The Attitudinal Questionnaire revealed that consumers do not understand information contained on the labels and attested the high cost of probiotic dairy. It was possible to identify factors that influence perception and buying attitude of consumers.

Introduction

Worldwide, the popularity of the probiotic concept is increasing each year and this trend is associated with dairy products, with a wide range of options including yogurts, fermented milks and cheeses (Deshpande et al., 2019, Stanton et al., 2001).

Probiotics, according to FAO and WHO, are “living microorganisms that confer several benefits to human health when administered at appropriate levels” (FAO/WHO, 2002). These microorganisms bring improvements to the balance of the intestinal microbiota of individuals who consume them periodically, because probiotics remain alive in the fermented product and survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract and settle in the intestine (Khalesi et al., 2019).

In this context, the dairy industry is well positioned by having a large number of functional products on the market, including those containing probiotic cultures. Lactobacillii and bifidobacteria are the most used probiotic cultures in yoghurt and fermented milks (Smith, Rigassio-Radler, Denmark, Haley, & Touge-Tecker, 2013). However, a trend to use them in cheeses can already be detected, and has shown excellent Results. Other products such as dairy desserts and ice creams have also been very successful (Turkmen, Akal, & Özer, 2019). Farnworth and Champagne (2016) and Sharif, Zahid, and Shah (2018) state that the most common probiotic foods are fermented milks and children's products. However, there are other products that have been studied for their potential as a vehicle for probiotic microorganisms including: soy-based foods, pâtés, vegetable juices, sausages and cheeses (Behera et al., 2018, Rouhi et al., 2011, Zielińska et al., 2015).

Changes in dietary patterns of the population has led to the creation of a market niche for probiotic foods, which indicates a greater awareness and change in the habits and customs of consumers, who see the relationship of probiotics with health maintenance and treatment of various diseases (Küster-Boluda & Vidal-Capilla, 2017). However, research suggests that there is still a large proportion of consumers who have little knowledge about nutrition and healthy foods and do not understand information provided on product packaging with these claims (Conti-Silva and Souza-Borges, 2018, Góes et al., 2010).

In view of this promising market for probiotics, an understanding of consumers and their perception of the functionality of these products is necessary. Sensory analysis, along with the concept of sensory branding (emotional and physical connection between a product or brand with the customer), helps in understanding consumer behaviour; it considers intrinsic and extrinsic aspects, such as psychological, cultural, emotional, social and economic factors (Hultén, 2011). For successful branding strategies, consumers need to be convinced that there are differences between the product they are used to and the one being launched. The consumer is looking for something that provides a good experience, whether physical or emotional. Among the qualitative methods used, the “word association” technique has been shown to be very useful for investigating consumer perceptions. Word association is based on the assumption that, by providing visual or verbal stimuli to consumers and requesting a description associated with this stimulus, using words or phrases that come to mind, it is possible to understand how consumers make their choices and decisions related to the purchase of products (Gámbaro, Parente, Roascio, & Boinbaser, 2014).

The word association technique has been gaining ground in sensory and consumer research for a variety of food products in recent years. The spontaneity with which ideas can be expressed in the form of word association places fewer restrictions than typically imposed by interviews or closed questionnaires (Andrade et al., 2016, Ares et al., 2015, Pontual et al., 2017, Viana et al., 2014).

Thus, the objective of this work was to better understand the knowledge of consumers of dairy products with respect to probiotic function and their understanding of information provided on packaging. This information should serve as the basis for developing marketing strategies that meet the expectations of regular buyers and thus stimulate their consumption of dairy products.