Consumer perception on the healthiness of snacks in Nigeria

Abstract

Changes in snacking behavior in developing countries are a growing concern. Since food commonly consumed as snacks tend to be both energy dense and nutrient poor. Previous research has shown that health claims can influence consumer’s perception of snack products, however little is known about consumer’s perceptions on the healthiness of specific snack categories. Determining how the Nigerian demographic perceive the snacks they consume can allow for better communication to promote an increase in the consumption of healthier snacks or motivate them to opt for healthier alternatives of the energy dense snacks they already consume. This knowledge is important for planning successful interventions and designing healthy snacks that can also appeal to population groups with higher dietary risks. The aim was to investigate how Nigerians perceive the healthiness of common snack categories available for consumption in Nigeria. A questionnaire was developed based on Grunert’s Food Related Lifestyle Model (FRLM) as a framework for considering various factors which influence perceptions, purchase intentions and reported purchasing of snack categories. The quantitative data was analyzed on Excel using cluster analysis, ANOVA, and paired t-test. The study has a 42% response rate with 43 respondents completing the questionnaire. The results showed the consumption of selected snack categories in relation to the time of day they’re consumed, the availability and affordability of the snacks. In addition to that, respondents perceived healthiness level and liking of each snack categories were also investigated. There were significant differences at the p<0.05 level between perceived healthiness (F (6, 294) = 23.44, p=0) and liking (F (6, 294) =3.31, p=0) of snack categories.

Date of Award	21 Jun 2016
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Hans-Peter Voss (Supervisor), Patricia Silva (Co-Supervisor) & Maria Manuela Pintado (Co-Supervisor)