A computerised adaptation of the repertory grid methodology as a useful tool to elicit older consumers’ perceptions of foods

Abstract

With an ageing population in industrialised countries, there is a need to understand older consumers’ perceptions of foods in order to improve marketing and maintain nutritional status. Individual interviews may be a preferred elicitation method but are time-consuming to administer and analyse. A computerised adaptation of the repertory grid methodology (RGM) was utilised to elicit older consumers (65–75 years, n=48) perceptions of 14 meat and fish products. Generalised Procrustes and χ² analysis found some differences in perceptions (P<0.01) by gender. Consequently two product maps were produced characterising perceptions, with two explainable dimensions on each map characterised, generally, as ‘processed’–‘good quality’ and ‘light’/‘healthy’–‘heavy’/‘fatty’. A cross-modality task and further analysis found no evidence of differences in responses according to computer mouse inexperience (52%). Hence, with meaningful results obtained, a computerised adaptation of RGM was considered an appropriate method to use with older consumers.

Introduction

Understanding how older groups of consumers perceive food products is important when developing public health and marketing campaigns to address nutritional inadequacies and/or when seeking opportunities for suitable food products (Dichter, 1992). Altered perceptions of foods in older groups, coupled with demographic trends towards ageing populations in industrialised countries, warrants a need for appropriate methods for eliciting these perceptions. An adapted form of repertory grid methodology (RGM) may be one such method which, when computerised, could be appropriate and efficient for collection of such information. Preferences for meat products, which are emotive foods providing important micro- and macro-nutrients in the diets of older individuals, were investigated in order to establish the appropriateness of the elicitation technique and to provide information of older consumers’ perceptions of such products.

There is increasing evidence that ageing is related to altered perceptions and preferences for foods; and these altered perceptions are, in turn, related to physical; sensory/affective (Murphy, 1993) Binns, 1999, Nordin et al., 1996), cognitive and socio-economic changes (Briley, 1994). However, it has been argued that it is not ageing per se but individual experiences of trauma or morbidity and subsequent pharmaceutical or surgical therapies which play a key role in altering sensory perceptions (Schiffman, 1994, Schiffman, 1997), ingestion and digestion (Briley, 1994) and possible subsequent food choice (Drewnowski, 1997). As a consequence, many adults over the age of 60 years suffer some sensory loss (Murphy, 1985, Schiffman, 1998) and perhaps reduced pleasure derived from food, inadequate intakes and weight loss (Rolls, 1994, Rolls et al., 1995, Schiffman, 1997). Older individuals are therefore at elevated risk for malnutrition and nutrition-related acute and/or chronic illnesses (Mowe & Bohmer, 1996).

Red meat is a valuable source of nutrients such as zinc, protein and haem iron. However, consumption of red meat products has decreased in recent times in Australia (Baghurst, Record, & Leppard, 2000), the UK (Richardson, 1994, Richardson et al., 1993), Belgium (Verbeke & Viaene, 1999) and the USA (Anderson and Shugan, 1991, Eales and Unneveher, 1988). There has been a concurrent increase in poultry consumption in Australia (Baghurst et al., 2000) and the USA (Eales & Unnevehr, 1988). In addition, in Australia, self-report dietary surveys indicate widespread low intakes of zinc in the elderly (over 50% of women and around 30% of men over 65 years have zinc intakes below 70% of RDI according to the 1995–1996 National Nutrition Survey). Whilst it is acknowledged that protein intakes are rarely low, there is reasonable evidence to suggest that protein intakes should be maintained to counteract muscle wasting, off-set impaired protein metabolism and wound healing amongst the elderly (Binns, 1999). Red meat was a key contributor to intakes of protein, zinc and haem iron in recent dietary surveys (Baghurst et al., 2000).

Reduction in red meat consumption has been attributed, in part, to social (public health) and commercial marketing campaigns directed at reducing saturated fat intake; an issue likely to be pertinent to older consumers. In addition, in some sections of the Australian and Danish populations, changing taste and preference patterns, food safety issues, animal welfare and environmental issues (Holm and Mohl, 2000, Lea and Worsley, 2002) have been implicated in reductions in red meat intake. Consumption of newer meal alternatives like pasta and Asian-style dishes (in Australia) has increased since 1983, while consumption of red meat cuts declined (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1995). However, to our knowledge there have been no specific published investigations of older adults’ perceptions of meat and competitor products.