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Abstract:
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Functional Foods is a category of food products that has emerged, as a consequence of
consumers increasing interest in the relationship between diet and health.
The attitude towards functional foods is very different in Denmark and Sweden, even though
the two countries are usually perceived to be similar in many ways. We thus found it
interesting to conduct a comparative analysis of the two countries in order to understand the
cognitive structure that determines the perception of functional food products.
In order to investigate the perceptions in the two countries, we have conducted a case study
based on a functional soft drink introduced by The Coca-Cola Company on both the Swedish
and Danish market: Coca-Cola light plus with vitamins (CCL+).
One purpose of the thesis is thus to provide The Coca-Cola Company with information
regarding their target group’s cognitive structure of CCL+. Another is to contribute to the
knowledgebase of functional foods in Denmark and Sweden.
By applying the Means-End Chain theory and the Laddering interview technique, we have
established the determinants that influence the perception of CCL+. We have done this by
identifying the abstract and concrete attributes, the functional and psychosocial consequences,
and the instrumental and terminal values, as perceived by ten Danish and ten Swedish women
aged 20-39 years old.
We found that the Danish and Swedish respondents have very different cognitive structures
regarding CCL+. The Danes reacted to both the product and the concept itself. They
compared CCL+ to a vitamin pill and found it inferior due to both the content and the fact that
they perceived it to be unhealthy. As they were unfamiliar with functional food products, they
related the concept to discussions of ethics and morale.
The Swedes had a more indifferent attitude towards both the product and the concept of
functional foods. They perceived the product as superfluous as it was unhealthy compared to
other functional products. They focused a great deal on the vessel, and as CCL+ is only sold
in a can, they would not purchase it, as they preferred bottles. |
