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Variatio Delectat Consumer Demand for Food Diversity

Author

Listed:
  • Thiele, Silke
  • Weiss, Christoph R.

Abstract

Whereas a large number of empirical studies have been devoted to analysing consumer demand for specific products, much less attention has been paid to the household's demand for product variety (the number of different products consumed in a specific time period). This paper analyses consumer demand for food variety in Germany. The econometric analysis of 4.632 household in 1995 suggests, that variety increases with income and the number of children aged between 6 and 18 years and is significantly higher if the family lives in larger cities in East-Germany, and the housekeeping person is not additionally working full-time. A single male household consumes a significantly smaller number of different food products. The significant (and positive) impact of household income on food variety is in line with the hypothesis that consumption evolves along a hierarchical order as income increases.

Suggested Citation

  • Thiele, Silke & Weiss, Christoph R., 2001. "Variatio Delectat Consumer Demand for Food Diversity," FE Working Papers 0102, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Food Economics and Consumption Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:caufew:0102
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee, Jonq-Ying & Brown, Mark G., 1989. "Consumer Demand For Food Diversity," Southern Journal of Agricultural Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 21(2), pages 1-7, December.
    2. van Trijp, Hans C M & Steenkamp, Jan-Benedict E M, 1992. "Consumers' Variety Seeking Tendency with Respect to Foods: Measurement and Managerial Implications," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 19(2), pages 181-195.
    3. repec:cup:jagaec:v:21:y:1989:i:02:p:47-53_00 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Jonq-Ying Lee, 1987. "The Demand for Varied Diet with Econometric Models for Count Data," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 69(3), pages 687-692.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q11 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis; Prices
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis

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