พฤติกรรมผู้บริโภคในการซื้ออาหารจากพืช

Abstract

The independent study on “Consumer Behavior Towards Buying Plant-based Food” aimed to examine the behavior of consumers towards buying plant-based food and the questionnaires were used as a tool to collect data. Samples of this study were the consumers of plant-based food: Plant-based Meat and Plant-based Meal. Since the number of samples was uncertain, Ken Black, 2007’s formula with a 95% of confidence level and a 5% of error level was applied to determine the sample size for this study. According to this formula, the sample size for this study was suggested to be 385 consumers. The study was conducted in accordance with the theoretical frameworks on consumer behavior and marketing mix. The obtained data were analyzed by descriptive statistics: frequency, percentage, and means. In addition, the inferential statistics: One-Way ANOVA was also applied to compare the marketing mix’s mean values derived from different groups of age, monthly income, and consumption expense in a meal. The pairwise test of differentiation level in each sub-factor was conducted in accordance with the Scheffe method. The findings showed that most respondents were male, aged 30-39 years old, and single. They graduated with bachelor's degrees and worked as employees in a private company. They earned an income of over 30,000 Baht. Results of the study on consumer behavior towards buying plant-based food revealed that the brand of plant-based food that the respondents bought the most was Meat Avatar; followed by More Meat, and Beyond Meat, respectively. They usually bought plant-based meat products from a hypermarket. Reasons for buying the studied products were to try the plant-based meats; followed by to control weight, and to consume contaminated-free food, respectively. They decided to buy the studied products by themselves. The frequency of buying plant-based meat products was less than once a week. They acknowledged the plant-based meat products mostly through online advertising such as websites and Facebook. In a meal, they spent around 100-250 Baht on plant-based food. Results of the study on the importance of marketing mix for plant-based meals suggested that the marketing mix affected their buying decision at a moderate level. The factor with the highest mean values was product; followed by price, promotion, and place factors, respectively. In the product factor, the top-three sub-factors with the highest mean values were full of nutrition; good quality of raw materials; and standard certification. In the price factor, the top-three sub-factors with the highest mean values were the reasonable price compared to the convenience of buying it; the reasonable price compared to the manufacturing process, and the reasonable price compared to the nutrition. In the place factor, the top-three sub-factors with the highest mean values were the convenience of buying products from general department stores and supermarkets; the convenience location where was located near their residence; and the convenient location where was located near their workplace. In the promotion factor, the top-three sub-factors with the highest mean values were online advertising and activities through Facebook, LINE, etc.; the arrangement of promotion booths at the points-of-sale: department stores and shops; the special price offer during the product introduction phase: discount coupon. Results of the differentiation test presented that the respondents in different groups of age paid importance to the marketing mix factors namely product, price, place, and promotion differently at statistical significance. Results of the differentiation test presented that the respondents in different groups of income paid importance to the marketing mix factors namely product, price, place, and promotion differently at statistical significance. Results of the differentiation test presented that the respondents in different groups of consumption expense in a meal paid importance to the marketing mix factors namely product, price, and place differently at statistical significance. However, in promotion factor, the difference at statistical significance was not found among the respondents in different groups of consumption expense in a meal.