Cafés especiais, rastreabilidade e segurança do alimento: determinantes do comportamento de consumo na perspectiva dos valores pessoais

Abstract

Food consumption has undergone transformations throughout the development of modern society. Consumers are looking for foods with different and specific characteristics, to meet the demand for new eating habits. In this sense, foods considered differentiated are being explored in new market niches that did not exist until then, and food production chains, such as coffee, are taking advantage of these opportunities. It appears that the consumer of specialty coffees has a higher level of engagement with the food, since most of them consumed commodity coffee, or simply known as traditional coffee. Special character foods, gourmet or organic, have specific characteristics that differentiate them from other foods produced on a large scale, giving rise to the opportunity to explore aspects of safety and traceability of these foods. In order to identify the relationships that permeate the consumption of specialty coffees, this study aimed to describe the cognitive associations of drink consumers through the theories of the means-end chain and personal values, due to the attributes, consequences and values, which guide and motivate consumption behavior. The study was characterized as descriptive qualitative, and used the in-depth interview technique laddering for data collection. Forty interviews were conducted with frequent drinkers in 6 Brazilian states. From the hierarchical values map (HVM) it was possible to identify the following personal values: universalism, self-direction-action, achievement, tradition and personal security. These values can be considered consumer behavior guides. Consumers are concerned about aspects of food safety and traceability, and in this sense, they have been identified and classified into two categories. The first is the formal mechanisms related to the specific attributes of specialty coffees, such as packaging, the presence of certifications and their origin. The second category was called informal mechanisms, encompassing the attributes of the drink: what is the date and level of roasting, the sensory notes and its aroma, and the functional consequences involved in consumption such as the possibility of buying directly from the producer and, in moment of purchase, get positive or negative perceptions. These mechanisms are associated among the elements that characterize the cognitive structure of consumers, and, among the values, the personal security-personal value demonstrates the importance given by consumers in terms of security requirements, including traceability. Drink consumption is also connected with the attributes of belief, which highlights the feeling of trust and credibility in the information passed on by specialty coffee sellers. The research results promote a theoretical discussion on how personal values can drive consumer behavior. And, how they are influenced by food safety aspects. The work provides information for agents involved in the development of marketing actions, such as communication in social media, advertising, relationships with internal and external customers; new management strategies on the farm; direct trade with the consumer and sustainable improvement of the production chain; and the concern to meet the requirements of purity, safety, origin and quality of specialty coffees.