Consumer Acceptance of Novel Foods

The success of novel foods depends to a considerable extent on whether consumers accept those innovations. This chapter provides an overview of current knowledge relevant to consumer acceptance of innovations in food. A broad range of theories and approaches to assess consumer response to designs have been developed in the past. Most traditional systems have in common that they assumed that information about the innovative product and its attributes is consciously perceived and attitudes toward the innovative product are formed. Positive attitudes, in turn, lead to positive responses and subsequently to more consumers buying the product. This conscious deliberation approach is not straightforward, however. Implicit, often unconscious associations, behavioral habits and routines, the influence of the environment, and underlying motivations are also influencing consumer acceptance of innovations. Finding the balance between deliberate and unconscious decisions remains a challenge in consumer science. This requires a battery of methods, which all have strengths and weaknesses. This chapter reflects several current theories and practices and for what aims these might be best suited. The chapter ends by outlining some trends in consumer food science that may become more relevant in the next few years