Determinants of children's purchase behavior: Analysis at the example of snack products

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Monika Hartmann
• Subject Area: Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Policy, Agricultural Sociology
• Term: from 2015 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 277527607

Children have considerable autonomous purchasing power much of it is directed toward energy-dense, nutrient-poor snack products. Despite the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity among children there exists hardly any study analyzing the role of children as purchasers in the food market. To understand how children make food-purchasing decisions knowledge regarding the relative relevance of external (e.g. product prices) and internal (e.g. planning capability) factors is essential. Those insights are important for understanding the impact of environmental influences (e.g. advertisement) as well as political interventions (e.g. sugar or fat tax, nutritional information) on childrens purchase decision and diet. Given this background the research proposed aims at better understanding the role of children as purchasers in the food market. To accomplish this objective a five months research visit at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy (Tufts University, Boston) is planned. In more details the research is 1. to carry out an incentive compatible experimental (laboratory) study (Discrete Choice Experiment linked with a survey) with children at US elementary schools to identify the role of various determinants on childrens purchase decision in the snack market which are both external (e.g. brand, price, product category) and internal (e.g. planning capabilities and impulse control, product familiarity, and socio-demographic aspects), 2. to compare the results of the study proposed (see point 1 above) with one of similar nature currently carried out at the chair of the applicant at Bonn University with German children to gain insights regarding cultural differences and similarities with respect to the determinants of childrens food purchase behavior, 3. to present and discuss the results of the proposed study and the one conducted at Bonn University at an invited session on the topic Childrens food choices throughout the day: Looking beyond the school lunchroom taking place at the conference of the Agriculture and Applied Economics Association (24. to 26. Juli 2015 in San Francisco). Attending the conference will allow me getting into closer contact with colleagues conducting research on similar topics, 4. to obtain deeper insights into the experimental field study CHOMPS (Coupons for Healthier Options for Minors Purchasing Snacks) currently carried out by an interdisciplinary research team headed by the cooperator, Prof. Sean B. Cash, PhD, and 5. to identify areas most relevant for further research regarding the determinants of childrens food choice and refine jointly with Sean B. Cash concepts for further studies on this topic to be carried out in Germany.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants