Use of conjoint analysis to assess web-based communications on functional foods

This paper reports the results of conjoint analysis of communications about functional foods, run with women aged 40 and above, using messages found on the Internet. Each of 147 women evaluated 60 concepts, comprising 2-4 phrases per concept, with the phrases dealing with an aspect of functional foods. Three respondent segments emerged, based on the pattern of individual utilities, 'health optimists' (no deep interest in functional foods), 'food for life' (food for health), and 'food for cure' (looking to functional foods to help live a normal life). The utilities of the same elements differed far more across these segments than would be expected from conventional classification questionnaires. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.