Deck 16: Environment, Population and Social Change

Question 1

Who Cares and Why? Fair Trade and Organic Food
research Question: There has been a notable increase in the public's use of farmers' markets, a greater presence of organic food sections even in mainstream grocery stores, and other indications of the public's growing concern with where one's food comes from and how it is grown. Social movements to enhance awareness of food production have influenced some of this behavior, as has a corporate response to the public's interest in local, safe, and sustainable food production. Do people purchase food (and other products) because of their political and ethical values, and what are those values? This question forms the basis for a study of "ecolabels" by philip Howard and patricia Allen.
research Method: Howard and Allen mailed a survey to 1000 randomly selected respondents, asking them to rate five different reasons why they would select food with different "ecolabels." They identified five different labels: humane (meat, dairy, and eggs coming from animals who have not been treated cruelly); living wage (provides wages to workers above poverty level); locally grown; small-scale (supports small farms or businesses); and "made in the USA." They also collected data on various demographic variables, such as age, income, level of education, gender, and place of residence. They analyzed the results using sophisticated statistical techniques of regression analysis.
research results: First, the researchers note that their respondents were more likely to be women, older, white, higher income, and well-educated than the demographic composition of their random sample. This is an important caveat in interpreting the results, because the results are not generalizable to the whole population. One-third of their respondents reported purchasing local foods frequently; many fewer bought organic food regularly.
The three most popular interests in purchasing food were buying local, humane treatment, and providing a living wage for food production workers, but there were differences by demographic group. Buying local was even more important for rural residents. For those who buy organic food, humane reasons topped their preferences. Women were more interested in ecolabeling than men; higher-income people were less likely to care about living wage than were lower-income respondents. Older respondents were more concerned about the influence of corporations of food production.
Conclusions and Implications: Consumers want the food they buy to reflect their political and ethical judgments. Of course, there are implications of these conclusions for marketing. But, from a sociological perspective, you can also see the influence of demographic variables on the decisions people make about purchasing their food. And, although it was not specifically examined in this study, social movements to "buy local," protect animals, and advocate for food safety have also influenced consumer preferences, meaning that there have been significant changes over time in the food choices that people have.
Examine your own behavior. What influences what you buy to eat?

Answer 1

Sociologists Mr. H and Mr. A have done extensive research interview to provide highlight over the eating habits of the population that belongs to several levels - high income group, middle class and lower income group.
It has come to light that middle class people believes in buying products that are locally grown and provides some earnings to the daily wagers, while high class people buy food products that showcase their social status and beliefs.
After examining one's own behavior, it can be known that aspects such as age, experiences with food, the place and most importantly the food's ingredients concern one to buy and eat.
In other words, body type, metabolism, taste and preferences make one eat and buy products. It also depends on one's concern to budget and before buying any stuff whether one can afford it or not.
Also, the television commercials and social media updates of identifying the food products help in choosing the eatables. In current scenario, there exists situation where people eat food on calorific values.

Question 2

Who Cares and Why? Fair Trade and Organic Food
research Question: There has been a notable increase in the public's use of farmers' markets, a greater presence of organic food sections even in mainstream grocery stores, and other indications of the public's growing concern with where one's food comes from and how it is grown. Social movements to enhance awareness of food production have influenced some of this behavior, as has a corporate response to the public's interest in local, safe, and sustainable food production. Do people purchase food (and other products) because of their political and ethical values, and what are those values? This question forms the basis for a study of "ecolabels" by philip Howard and patricia Allen.
research Method: Howard and Allen mailed a survey to 1000 randomly selected respondents, asking them to rate five different reasons why they would select food with different "ecolabels." They identified five different labels: humane (meat, dairy, and eggs coming from animals who have not been treated cruelly); living wage (provides wages to workers above poverty level); locally grown; small-scale (supports small farms or businesses); and "made in the USA." They also collected data on various demographic variables, such as age, income, level of education, gender, and place of residence. They analyzed the results using sophisticated statistical techniques of regression analysis.
research results: First, the researchers note that their respondents were more likely to be women, older, white, higher income, and well-educated than the demographic composition of their random sample. This is an important caveat in interpreting the results, because the results are not generalizable to the whole population. One-third of their respondents reported purchasing local foods frequently; many fewer bought organic food regularly.
The three most popular interests in purchasing food were buying local, humane treatment, and providing a living wage for food production workers, but there were differences by demographic group. Buying local was even more important for rural residents. For those who buy organic food, humane reasons topped their preferences. Women were more interested in ecolabeling than men; higher-income people were less likely to care about living wage than were lower-income respondents. Older respondents were more concerned about the influence of corporations of food production.
Conclusions and Implications: Consumers want the food they buy to reflect their political and ethical judgments. Of course, there are implications of these conclusions for marketing. But, from a sociological perspective, you can also see the influence of demographic variables on the decisions people make about purchasing their food. And, although it was not specifically examined in this study, social movements to "buy local," protect animals, and advocate for food safety have also influenced consumer preferences, meaning that there have been significant changes over time in the food choices that people have.
Do political and ethical values influence your choices?

Answer 2

Sociologists Mr. H and Mr. A have done extensive research interview to provide highlight over the eating habits of the population that belongs to several levels - high income group, middle class and lower income group.
It has come to light that middle class people believes in buying products that are locally grown and provides some earnings to the daily wagers, while high class people buy food products that showcase their social status and beliefs.
To a certain extent political and ethical aspects and values influences ones choices of food.
When it comes to food choices, political ethics can encompass a wide range of values, from environmental concerns to economic issues. It can relate to how farm workers are treated or whether food is sourced locally, meaning it's fresher and leaves less of a carbon footprint in transportation.
The political choices one make, route to the economic situations in the country basing on the budget invested for food products.
However, creating an impact on this one can buy food that are locally grown vegetables and fruits from farmers who comes from neighborhood villages to sell their products to make them earn their livelihood. These also boost ones morale of ethically contributing to the person who has worked for the product.

Question 3

Who Cares and Why? Fair Trade and Organic Food
research Question: There has been a notable increase in the public's use of farmers' markets, a greater presence of organic food sections even in mainstream grocery stores, and other indications of the public's growing concern with where one's food comes from and how it is grown. Social movements to enhance awareness of food production have influenced some of this behavior, as has a corporate response to the public's interest in local, safe, and sustainable food production. Do people purchase food (and other products) because of their political and ethical values, and what are those values? This question forms the basis for a study of "ecolabels" by philip Howard and patricia Allen.
research Method: Howard and Allen mailed a survey to 1000 randomly selected respondents, asking them to rate five different reasons why they would select food with different "ecolabels." They identified five different labels: humane (meat, dairy, and eggs coming from animals who have not been treated cruelly); living wage (provides wages to workers above poverty level); locally grown; small-scale (supports small farms or businesses); and "made in the USA." They also collected data on various demographic variables, such as age, income, level of education, gender, and place of residence. They analyzed the results using sophisticated statistical techniques of regression analysis.
research results: First, the researchers note that their respondents were more likely to be women, older, white, higher income, and well-educated than the demographic composition of their random sample. This is an important caveat in interpreting the results, because the results are not generalizable to the whole population. One-third of their respondents reported purchasing local foods frequently; many fewer bought organic food regularly.
The three most popular interests in purchasing food were buying local, humane treatment, and providing a living wage for food production workers, but there were differences by demographic group. Buying local was even more important for rural residents. For those who buy organic food, humane reasons topped their preferences. Women were more interested in ecolabeling than men; higher-income people were less likely to care about living wage than were lower-income respondents. Older respondents were more concerned about the influence of corporations of food production.
Conclusions and Implications: Consumers want the food they buy to reflect their political and ethical judgments. Of course, there are implications of these conclusions for marketing. But, from a sociological perspective, you can also see the influence of demographic variables on the decisions people make about purchasing their food. And, although it was not specifically examined in this study, social movements to "buy local," protect animals, and advocate for food safety have also influenced consumer preferences, meaning that there have been significant changes over time in the food choices that people have.
To what degree are your choices influenced by corporations and marketing?

Answer 3

Sociologists Mr. H and Mr. A have done extensive research interview to provide highlight over the eating habits of the population that belongs to several levels - high income group, middle class and lower income group.
It has come to light that middle class people believes in buying products that are locally grown and provides some earnings to the daily wagers, while high class people buy food products that showcase their social status and beliefs.
As per the consumer behavior, people buy products that are highly publicized and marketed by the manufacturer. Publicity created for particularly new products in the shelves attracts the customer and tends to experiment with it at certain point.
In customer consumption, intensity levels of trying new products launched in the market is certainly high and people do not leave a chance to try new products in the market. Experimenting has become the buzz within customers; owing to desire for a change. The propaganda of advertising has bought a major effect on the perception levels of buying of the customer.
In general, customers are influenced by corporations and marketing are of high level because of the big food giants that dramatize the foods which are unhealthy for the human body basing on their levels of cholesterols and calorific values.
To predominantly attract customers, a huge number of food chains have popped up in all parts of the world with a tremendous value chain processes competing with each other. Owing to threat of competition, the marketers are trying to buy inorganic food which is grown by harmful fertilizers and pesticides.
However, much awareness is also spread to the customers to resist the influence of major corporations and marketing of food products.

Question 4

Who Cares and Why? Fair Trade and Organic Food
research Question: There has been a notable increase in the public's use of farmers' markets, a greater presence of organic food sections even in mainstream grocery stores, and other indications of the public's growing concern with where one's food comes from and how it is grown. Social movements to enhance awareness of food production have influenced some of this behavior, as has a corporate response to the public's interest in local, safe, and sustainable food production. Do people purchase food (and other products) because of their political and ethical values, and what are those values? This question forms the basis for a study of "ecolabels" by philip Howard and patricia Allen.
research Method: Howard and Allen mailed a survey to 1000 randomly selected respondents, asking them to rate five different reasons why they would select food with different "ecolabels." They identified five different labels: humane (meat, dairy, and eggs coming from animals who have not been treated cruelly); living wage (provides wages to workers above poverty level); locally grown; small-scale (supports small farms or businesses); and "made in the USA." They also collected data on various demographic variables, such as age, income, level of education, gender, and place of residence. They analyzed the results using sophisticated statistical techniques of regression analysis.
research results: First, the researchers note that their respondents were more likely to be women, older, white, higher income, and well-educated than the demographic composition of their random sample. This is an important caveat in interpreting the results, because the results are not generalizable to the whole population. One-third of their respondents reported purchasing local foods frequently; many fewer bought organic food regularly.
The three most popular interests in purchasing food were buying local, humane treatment, and providing a living wage for food production workers, but there were differences by demographic group. Buying local was even more important for rural residents. For those who buy organic food, humane reasons topped their preferences. Women were more interested in ecolabeling than men; higher-income people were less likely to care about living wage than were lower-income respondents. Older respondents were more concerned about the influence of corporations of food production.
Conclusions and Implications: Consumers want the food they buy to reflect their political and ethical judgments. Of course, there are implications of these conclusions for marketing. But, from a sociological perspective, you can also see the influence of demographic variables on the decisions people make about purchasing their food. And, although it was not specifically examined in this study, social movements to "buy local," protect animals, and advocate for food safety have also influenced consumer preferences, meaning that there have been significant changes over time in the food choices that people have.
Does your social location in particular demographic groups influence your eating habits?