Consumer Behaviour and Healthy Food Consumption, 2nd Edition

Abstract submission deadline

15 September 2026

Manuscript submission deadline

15 November 2026

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Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic is a continuation of the previous successful Topic, "Consumer Behaviour and Healthy Food Consumption, 2nd Edition". In recent years, consumption behaviors have continued to evolve rapidly due to global challenges, technological advancements, and increasing health awareness. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated many of these changes, reshaping food supply chains and consumer priorities. Simultaneously, growing emphasis on preventive health and sustainability has further increased demand for healthy, sustainable food options. This Topic aims to examine the latest developments in understanding how consumer behavior influences healthy food consumption patterns, with particular attention to the role of food industries and companies in shaping these behaviors. We recognize that food choices are shaped by a complex interplay of factors including socioeconomic status, cultural traditions, food environments, individual preferences, marketing strategies, technological innovations, and emerging health concerns. As these factors continue to evolve, new research is needed to guide policy, industry, and public health interventions. To bring together the latest developments in consumer behavior and healthy food consumption, potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Impact of front-of-pack labels and nutrition information on guiding healthier consumer choices
• The role of packaging design on consumers' perceptions and purchasing decisions for healthy foods
• Consumer perceptions of food industries and companies (e.g., boycotting, "greenwashing")
• Influence of traditional and digital marketing strategies on healthy food consumption
• Sensory marketing approaches and their impact on healthy food selection
• Consumer perceptions of food-related health claims and their credibility
• Influence of industry on food policies and the resultant consequences for consumer health
• Evaluating the impact of public health policies and regulations on healthy consumption patterns
• Post-pandemic shifts in household food consumption patterns toward healthier options
• Social media influence on healthy food trends and consumer behavior
• Diet- and food-related misinformation and its impact on consumer choices
• Contemporary nutrition transition and emerging nutrition-related health challenges
• Innovations in agricultural, organic, and functional foods
• Sustainable consumption practices and their relationship with healthy eating
• Future perspectives and challenges for the health food market

We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, case studies, and perspective papers that contribute to this important field of study. Topic Editor

Dr. Manuel Escobar-Farfán
Dr. Elizabeth Emperatriz García-Salirrosas
Dr. Ivan Veas-Gonzalez
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Businesses businesses	-	-	2021	24.4 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Economies economies	2.1	4.7	2013	23.1 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Foods foods	5.1	8.7	2012	15 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Nutrients nutrients	5.0	9.1	2009	15 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	7.7	2009	17.9 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research jtaer	4.6	11.7	2006	27.9 Days	CHF 1400	Submit
Platforms platforms	-	-	2023	15.0 days *	CHF 1000	Submit

* Median value for all MDPI journals in the second half of 2025.

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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All Businesses Economies Foods Nutrients Sustainability JTAER Platforms

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Open AccessArticle

Association Between Dyspeptic Symptoms and Eating Habits in the Colombian Population

by Julia María Alatorre-Cruz, Ricardo Carreño-López, Vanesa Vargas-Plaza, Lizbeth Barrios-Cortés, Yair Olovaldo Santiago-Sáenz, Claudia Fabiola Martínez-de la Peña, Norma Angélica Santiesteban-López and Graciela Catalina Alatorre-Cruz

Nutrients 2026, 18(2), 308; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18020308 - 19 Jan 2026

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Abstract

Background/Objectives: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a gastrointestinal disorder typically treated by changes in diet and lifestyle. However, in the Colombian population, few studies have addressed its etiology and diagnosis. This exploratory study aimed to identify predictive variables associated with the presence of dyspeptic [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a gastrointestinal disorder typically treated by changes in diet and lifestyle. However, in the Colombian population, few studies have addressed its etiology and diagnosis. This exploratory study aimed to identify predictive variables associated with the presence of dyspeptic symptoms (DS). Methods: To address this, a self-survey was conducted evaluating sociodemographic characteristics, clinical history, and dietary habits. A DS index was calculated using participant’s clinical history to explore the characteristics of the groups with more and less DS (MDS and LDS groups). Additionally, a regression model was applied to identify the predictors of higher DS scores. Pooled data from the rolling, cross-sectional eating habits and DS survey between May and July of 2024. We enrolled 102 Colombian participants between 18 and 65 years old. Results: Significant differences were identified between MDS and LDS groups in occupation and dietary habits, with students exhibiting a higher DS index. Moreover, MDS exhibited greater consumption of fatty and fried foods than LDS groups. Regression analysis revealed that high intake of fatty foods and sesame were the best predictors of higher DS index. In contrast, the consumption of Saccharomyces boulardii probiotic and white onion was associated with better gastrointestinal health. Conclusions: Changes in dietary habits are associated with lower DS; the effect and its etiology might also depend on the participants’ occupation and nutritional habits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Consumer Behaviour and Healthy Food Consumption, 2nd Edition)

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23 pages, 4800 KB  

Open AccessArticle

From Images to Words: How Packaging Style Affects Brand Preference in Heritage Food

by Haiyan Wang, Lingrong Lin, Honghai Wang, Xiaoye Jin and Chenhan Ruan

Foods 2025, 14(22), 3858; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14223858 - 11 Nov 2025

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Abstract

Food, specifically those with heritage attributes, stands as one of the distinctive forms of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). To promote and preserve such heritage, brands have increasingly focused on incorporating heritage elements into the packaging. This research employs three studies conducted in China [...] Read more.

Food, specifically those with heritage attributes, stands as one of the distinctive forms of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). To promote and preserve such heritage, brands have increasingly focused on incorporating heritage elements into the packaging. This research employs three studies conducted in China to explore how different representation styles of heritage elements (verbal vs. non-verbal) shape consumer brand preferences in food packaging. Study 1 confirmed that food packaging featuring heritage elements effectively enhances consumer brand preference. Moreover, consumers exhibit stronger preference for the verbal elements over the non-verbal ones for heritage food due to construal level theory. Study 1 also demonstrated the mediating role of perceived value. Study 2 validated that such an effect remained significant within a tourism shopping context. In addition, Study 3 revealed the moderating effect of purchase motivation. When purchasing food as a gift, consumers tend to adopt a more abstract processing level (e.g., symbolic meaning, cultural connotation), which enhances the effect of verbal heritage elements on brand preference, whereas for self-use purchases, consumers shift to a concrete processing level (e.g., taste or price), thus enhancing the effect of non-verbal representation style. This research enriches the research on heritage element application in food marketing, and offers suggestions for packaging design for heritage food. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Consumer Behaviour and Healthy Food Consumption, 2nd Edition)

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23 pages, 527 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Motives Behind Dairy Product Purchasing Decisions Among Polish Doctors: An Age-Based Analysis

by Anna Goliszek, Sebastian Białoskurski, Agnieszka Komor, Anna Nowak, Aneta Jarosz-Angowska, Artur Krukowski, Katarzyna E. Przybyłowicz, Katarzyna Staniewska and Aneta Dąbrowska

Foods 2025, 14(18), 3169; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14183169 - 11 Sep 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 734

Abstract

The aim of this article was to identify factors influencing the purchasing decisions of individual buyers represented by Polish doctors on the dairy product market, taking into account the demographic variable of the respondents’ age. This article is based on a survey conducted [...] Read more.

The aim of this article was to identify factors influencing the purchasing decisions of individual buyers represented by Polish doctors on the dairy product market, taking into account the demographic variable of the respondents’ age. This article is based on a survey conducted among 201 Polish doctors using the CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interview) method. The collected primary data was subjected to quantitative analysis, including both a description of general trends and the identification of differences in responses between distinct age categories of respondents, as well as the identification of hidden factor structures. Conducting a study with a group of doctors perceived as experts fills a research gap in the literature and makes an important contribution to the discussion on the factors shaping the purchasing behaviour of doctors as buyers. The research revealed differences in the assessment of the importance of motivators influencing purchasing decisions for dairy products between groups of doctors separated by age. Younger respondents (aged 27–44) attach greater importance to the influence of marketing activities at the point of sale and the health attributes of dairy products, while older respondents (aged 45 and over) attach greater importance to aspects related to trust and safety as well as consumer trends. Hidden (latent) factors influencing purchasing decisions in the surveyed age-based groups of doctors were also identified in comparison with the total number of respondents, and consumer segments were identified based on the similarity of factor profiles. The results of this study can be used both by companies in the dairy sector in the process of designing marketing strategies for dairy products and by institutions influencing public health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Consumer Behaviour and Healthy Food Consumption, 2nd Edition)

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