The historical development of the consumption of sweeteners - a learning approach

Abstract

From a theoretical point of view, addressing the adoption of novelty and change in consumption is a topic of major interest since it challenges the axiomatic foundations of modern microeconomics. Starting from the “continuity hypothesis” which considers the evolution of culture to be based on biological evolution, an evolutionary approach is presented which highlights the role of consumer learning. By means of a case study on the complex consumption history of sweeteners, it is shown that this approach complements the Lancasterian characteristics approach to the adoption of novelty in consumption in a fruitful way. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg 2005Consumer theory, Evolution of preferences, Sweeteners, Satiation,

The dynamics of consumer behavior and the transition to sustainable consumption patterns

“…food stuffs made with low-calorie, artificial sweeteners. Satiation is postponed and so is market saturation (see Ruprecht 2005). Diet Coke is a prominent example.…”

From Carl Menger's Theory of Goods to an Evolutionary Approach to Consumer Behaviour

“…Since the two types of characteristics are connected by a production 31 For a comprehensive survey of this approach which aims at explaining how artefacts emerge and how they evolve see Saviotti (1996). 32 In this respect it resembles Kelvin Lancaster's (1966aLancaster's ( , 1966bLancaster's ( , 1971) 'indirect utility approach' which also is based upon a production metaphor (for a discussion see Ruprecht 2005). …”

“…Without the possibility of need satisfaction, a thing simply remains a thing. It is possible, of course, that one 1 This characteristic makes Menger's definition different from the Lancasterian (1966aLancasterian ( ,1966bLancasterian ( , 1971) and the Saviottian (1996) definitions of a consumer good (for the former see Ruprecht (2005), for the latter see appendix #0511 consumption item satisfies even more than one need. For instance, a car can be regarded as a prestige object and, for example, as a means of getting excitement or cognitive arousal by its speed.…”

“…This list can be refined, e.g. in the case of nutrients, by the preference for "sweetness" involving adaptative advantages by allowing mammals to identify quickly food items covering carbohydrates rich in nutrients (see Ruprecht (2005)). …”

“…As they have been contingent on systematically changing environmental conditions these learning processes can be considered as historical events. It turned out, moreover, that the presented approach complements the Lancasterian characteristics approach to the adoption of novelty in consumption (see Ruprecht 2005). …”