Much too new to eat it? Customer value and its impact on consumer-product relationship in the context of novel food products

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to address the issue of how customer value is created in the context of novel food products and how customer value influences product evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study proposes a model formed by a series of causal relations among value (i.e. functional, social, hedonic, altruistic values) and cost perceptions (i.e. price, effort, evaluation costs, performance and product safety), their trade-offs (i.e. overall customer value) and product evaluation outcomes (i.e. satisfaction, trust).

Findings

Despite doubts about certain search (information), credence (safety) and experience (taste) attributes, perceptions about product quality, likeability and ethical image predominantly formulate customer value, indicating novel products’ potential to be evaluated positively by consumers.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed model advances knowledge in the context of product innovation. Contrary to past research that focuses on consumer attitudes towards a manufacturing technology and individual technology-specific risks and benefits, the customer value approach refers to novel product-related consumer attitudes conceptualized as overall customer value; the latter results from product-related value-cost trade-offs, leading towards specific consumer–product evaluations.

Practical implications

The customer value approach refers to the value from the adoption of a new product that underlies a relevant set of product attributes (e.g. quality, image, sustainability, price, convenience, taste, safety, etc.) Focusing on product attributes that generate gain – loss perceptions impactful on consumer – product evaluations is highly relevant for product managers concerned with new product development.

Originality/value

The originality of this work lies in the successful contextualization and testing of an inclusive model that comprises both emotional and rational components, operational at the product level, to generate substantial insights on the widely unexplored interplay between consumer – perceived customer value and the generation of consumer – product evaluation outcomes.

Citation

Perrea, T., Krystallis, A., Engelgreen, C. and Chrysochou, P. (2017), "Much too new to eat it? Customer value and its impact on consumer-product relationship in the context of novel food products", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 26 No. 6, pp. 616-630. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2015-0984