Consumers who avoid fast food do so not because they think it is unhealthy, but because eating it causes them guilt, and resisting the "sin" gives them a sense of accomplishment

Why Do and Why Don’t People Consume Fast Food?: An Application of the Consumption Value Model. Kiwon Lee, Jonghan Hyun, Youngmi Lee. Food Quality and Preference, Feb 5 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104550

Highlights

• Regular consumers approach fast food mainly due to convenience and taste.

• Non-regular consumers feel a sense of accomplishment when not consuming fast food.

• Regular consumers may avoid fast food when they encounter food safety issues.

• Non-regular consumers may approach fast food when experiencing time pressure.

Abstract: This study explores the nature of the consumption values that differentiate regular consumers of fast food and non-regular consumers using the consumption value model. Data was collected from a total of 307 respondents via a self-administered online survey. The collected data was then classified into two groups, regular consumers (RCs, n=140) and non-regular consumers (non-RCs, n=167), based on the respondents’ self-identification as either a regular fast food consumer or a non-consumer and their fast food consumption frequency (≥ 2-3 times a week for RCs and ≤ 1 time a fortnight for non-RCs). Using factor analysis, 15 factors were extracted for the six consumption values (functional, social, emotional, conditional, epistemic, and process values). Discriminant analysis showed that 5 factors out of those 15 are influential in discriminating RCs and non-RCs. Specifically, RCs were found to consume fast food due to convenience and taste whereas non-RCs were found to avoid fast food due to the feelings of guilt when consuming fast food and the sense of accomplishment when not consuming fast food. Also, RCs and Non-RCs were found to deviate from their normal behavior when certain conditions are present (e.g., food safety issue, time pressure, stress). In all, the results of this study provide marketers a clearer understanding of the consumption values that regular consumers and non- regular consumers perceive in fast foods, further enabling the development of marketing strategies that appeal better to current and potential customers.

Keywords: fast foodconsumption valueconveniencetasteguilt