Factors influencing consumers’ willingness to use beverages and ready-to-eat frozen soups containing oat ß-glucan in Finland, France and Sweden

M. Lyly, K. Roininen, K. Honkapää , K. Poutanen, L. Lähteenmäki

VTT Biotechnology, Finland

 marika.lylyvtt.fi

Factors affecting consumers’ willingness to use beverages and ready-to-eat frozen soups containing oat ß-glucan were studied. Altogether 1157 participants in Finland, France and Sweden rated three beverage or soup samples: a reference sample without ß-glucan/health claim, a sample containing ß-glucan, without claim and a third one with ß-glucan and health claim. Half of the respondents received a cholesterol and the other half a blood glucose related functional claim. Questions about liking, beneficiality, willingness to use and pay were asked before and after tasting. Respondents also filled in a background questionnaire comprising questions on demographic variables, general liking and use frequency of different soups and beverages, and attitude questions.

Presence of the health claim significantly increased the willingness to use beverages before tasting but the willingness decreased after tasting in samples with ß-glucan.  The type of the claim (glucose or cholesterol claim) did not make any notable difference to the results. Health claim increased also significantly the willingness to use soups before tasting, but this effect was very small, especially in the glucose claim subgroup. Willingness to use ß-glucan soups in glucose and cholesterol claim subgroup decreased after tasting. However, these changes were minor compared to the changes in beverages.

The prices respondents were willing to pay for the beverages and soups containing ß-glucan decreased after tasting, regardless of the claim. For beverages, the sample without ß-glucan obtained the highest price ratings after tasting, whereas in soups, the claim helped to maintain the price of the soup with ß-glucan at the same level with the price of the sample without ß-glucan.

In general, health claim had a small positive impact on willingness to use beverages and soups with ß-glucan, but the taste of the products strongly affected the willingness to use them.

Key words: consumer, ß-glucan, willingness to use, price