Food Consumer Information Behavior: Need Arousal, Seeking Behavior, and Information Use

Abstract

This article draws from general and specific literature to present the way food consumer information behavior is executed from the stage of information need recognition to that of information use. Information needs are derivative needs, which originate from primary (physiological or psychological) needs. After need arousal, the consumer starts seeking food information by using one or more of the available out-of-store (published material, media, experts, institutional bodies, and social milieu) or in-store (store personnel, food labels) information sources. The information gathered is evaluated and, when it is judged insufficient in terms of quantity and/or quality, the consumer continues to seek information by following other paths. Simultaneously and/or subsequently, the information is refined, processed, and translated into different behavioral responses. The article concludes by highlighting some open issues and by proposing new research directions.KEYTERMS consumer, food information, information behavior, information needs, information seeking, information use

Food-Insecure Household’s Self-Reported Perceptions of Food Labels, Product Attributes and Consumption Behaviours

“…This significance remained even when formal education was controlled for, implying that higher educational attainment may not necessarily translate into the demonstration of greater food literacy skills in food-insecure populations. This lack of knowledge or food literacy may result in an inability to decode or apply information and may be linked to a sense of being deliberately misled, which may ultimately impact healthy food choices [28].…”

Cost-of-illness analysis reveals potential healthcare savings with reductions in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease following recommended intakes of dietary fiber in Canada

“…Previous research has explored how consumers maximize their utility in the context of food, nutrition, and health [ Grossman (1972 , March–April); Blaylock et al, 1999 ; Cawley, 2004 ]. More recent work ( Lioutas, 2014 ) has examined the information processing behavior that consumers utilize as it relates to food choices. When an individual processes available dietary information and, based on this information, chooses to purchase and consume “healthy” foods, the individual is maximizing their utility.…”

Information Behavior of Fracture Therapist in Citapen Village, West Bandung Regency, Indonesia

“…Fracture therapist needs the information of traditional medicine to set a standard of medication administration to the patient, whereas the patient needs the information of traditional medicine to cure his fraction safely. Lioutas (2014) states that, "Human information behaviour is a complex and multidimensional system which function when the person recognizes a need-that can be met through information intakeand includes all the activating mechanisms that lead to the information seeking, the actual process of information seeking, and that of information processing and use". The information has a complete unity starts from the need of information, search for the information, and use the information.…”

“…The information has a complete unity starts from the need of information, search for the information, and use the information. Wilson (1981) and Belkin, Oddy, and Brooks (1982) in Lioutas (2014) wrote that information needs not only for ourselves but naturally become the goal of those needs. Therefore, all the information from any other life fields is also needed.…”

“…This article tries to focus the analysis on the information behaviour of fracture therapist in using traditional medicine and to find out local knowledge of traditional medicine of the fracture therapists in Citapen village. Lioutas (2014) has given the concept related to information behaviour, searching the information, and information usage. Wilson ( 2005) in Bawden, ( 2006) explains that the information needs will determine the information to be search for.…”