Consumer Sensory Perceptions of Natural Ingredients: A Multi-Country Comparison
Consumer perceptions of the term ‘natural’ do not always align with those of science or public policy. Further examination of the term from a consumer standpoint is therefore necessary. In this study, we aimed to identify differences in consumer perceptions of natural ingredients across various coun...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| author | Jisoo Choi Edgar Chambers Jeehyun Lee |
| author_facet | Jisoo Choi Edgar Chambers Jeehyun Lee |
| author_sort | Jisoo Choi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Consumer perceptions of the term ‘natural’ do not always align with those of science or public policy. Further examination of the term from a consumer standpoint is therefore necessary. In this study, we aimed to identify differences in consumer perceptions of natural ingredients across various countries and demographic segments to determine whether a common concept of natural ingredients exists. Twenty ingredients were assessed to identify those perceived as natural by consumers. A total of 8191 consumers (about 630 consumers per country) were surveyed. Cluster analysis identified four clusters of countries with similar perceptions of natural ingredients. Most ingredients were evaluated similarly across countries; however, specific ingredients differed among certain countries. Several ingredients considered natural according to scientific, public policy, or marketing standards were not perceived as natural by consumers. These insights into perceptions of natural ingredients in each country may help governments, public policy experts, and food manufacturers reconsider strategies for marketing natural products and educating consumers about natural ingredients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-69b2aac836a041beae9081ba3776d273 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj-art-69b2aac836a041beae9081ba3776d2732025-08-20T01:56:28ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-05-011410177510.3390/foods14101775Consumer Sensory Perceptions of Natural Ingredients: A Multi-Country ComparisonJisoo Choi0Edgar Chambers1Jeehyun Lee2Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaCenter for Sensory Analysis and Consumer Behavior, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66502, USADepartment of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaConsumer perceptions of the term ‘natural’ do not always align with those of science or public policy. Further examination of the term from a consumer standpoint is therefore necessary. In this study, we aimed to identify differences in consumer perceptions of natural ingredients across various countries and demographic segments to determine whether a common concept of natural ingredients exists. Twenty ingredients were assessed to identify those perceived as natural by consumers. A total of 8191 consumers (about 630 consumers per country) were surveyed. Cluster analysis identified four clusters of countries with similar perceptions of natural ingredients. Most ingredients were evaluated similarly across countries; however, specific ingredients differed among certain countries. Several ingredients considered natural according to scientific, public policy, or marketing standards were not perceived as natural by consumers. These insights into perceptions of natural ingredients in each country may help governments, public policy experts, and food manufacturers reconsider strategies for marketing natural products and educating consumers about natural ingredients.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/10/1775naturalingredientconsumerperceptioncross-culturalcheck-all-that-apply |
| spellingShingle | Jisoo Choi Edgar Chambers Jeehyun Lee Consumer Sensory Perceptions of Natural Ingredients: A Multi-Country Comparison Foods natural ingredient consumer perception cross-cultural check-all-that-apply |
| title | Consumer Sensory Perceptions of Natural Ingredients: A Multi-Country Comparison |
| title_full | Consumer Sensory Perceptions of Natural Ingredients: A Multi-Country Comparison |
| title_fullStr | Consumer Sensory Perceptions of Natural Ingredients: A Multi-Country Comparison |
| title_full_unstemmed | Consumer Sensory Perceptions of Natural Ingredients: A Multi-Country Comparison |
| title_short | Consumer Sensory Perceptions of Natural Ingredients: A Multi-Country Comparison |
| title_sort | consumer sensory perceptions of natural ingredients a multi country comparison |
| topic | natural ingredient consumer perception cross-cultural check-all-that-apply |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/10/1775 |
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