Analysis of consumer behaviour in food consumption decision processesevidence found in fast food restaurants in mexico

Resum

Over time, consumer behaviour has undergone major changes, approaches and research interests in the field of marketing. Taking into account all these changes, the purpose of this Doctoral Thesis is to analyze the behaviour of the current consumer with respect to food consumption. In order to make a broader approach to the object of study, this analysis has been carried out considering variables of very diverse nature (for example, variables of values, emotions, attitudes, etc.). The first study with literature review on 1,169 abstracts with a content analyses it was elaborated. With this study the results show that consumers and customers are the main research topics in marketing journals, which show a growth in consumer purchasing behaviour. Similarly, in contrast to previous periods, the product has been conferred as an essential factor in applying new consideration to the design of new products in accordance with consumer information. In other hand, the second and third study they were elaborated with empirical information about 512 Mexican consumers in relation with food values, benefits, emotions, attitudes on purchase intention. And the results show that the positive influence of food values towards the incorporation of utilitarian and hedonic benefits of consumption was confirmed. Also the great impact of the attitude toward the brand rather than attitude toward eating was detected in the model of predicting the consumer's intention to buy. Likewise, food values and positive anticipated emotions positively impact the attitude toward the brand, which in turn impacts the consumer's buying intention. Finally positive anticipated emotions impact stronger than food values, and the best way to explain the purchase intention is through the attitude toward the brand.