Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Patterns: A Segmentation Approach

• Published in: American journal of agricultural economics Vol. 90; no. 3; pp. 827 - 842
• Main Authors: Bertail, Patrice, Caillavet, France
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.08.2008; Oxford University Press; Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Subjects: Agricultural economics; Agricultural sciences; Agriculture; Agriculture, economy and politics; Consumer behavior; consumer demand; Consumption; Convenience foods; D120; Demand; demand elasticities; demand system; Diet; econometric models; finite mixture; Food consumption; Food demand; food intake; Food policy; Fresh vegetables; Fruit; fruit and vegetable consumption; Fruits; fruits (food); Health; healthy diet; Household budgets; Household food consumption; household income; I120; Life Sciences; market segmentation; Potatoes; Preferences; Price elasticity; Q130; segmentation; sociodemographic characteristics; Studies; Vegetables; France; HEALTHY DIET; SEGMENTATION; DEMAND SYSTEM; FINITE MIXTURE; FOOD POLICY; FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION
• ISSN: 0002-9092; 1467-8276
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8276.2008.01138.x

In this article, we study the heterogeneity of fruit and vegetable consumption patterns in France. A finite mixture of AIDS models is used to describe food demand patterns revealing different preferences over distinct classes. We obtained six different clusters, which reflect specific socio-demographic characteristics and different income and price elasticities. This approach is appropriate for targeting specific public nutritional policies. Our main results show that unlike the other clusters in which the usual price and income policy tools may be used, the lowest income cluster with the lowest consumption, remains insensitive to economic variables.