Session: LCA & Consumers

Research on the Effect of LOHAS Information on Consumer Behavior and System Demonstration Test at Food Supermarket
Yoshio Iwase,   Hitachi, Ltd.
Shinichiro Harano,^*   Hitachi, Ltd.
Mitsukiyo Tani,   Hitachi, Ltd.
Mika Takaoka,   Rikkyo University

We have developed a 'Food Navigation System for LOHAS', which is a prototype model of food information system, would lead consumers to healthy and environmentally conscious life in near ubiquitous and sustainable future days.

We did the system demonstration tests at two food supermarkets in TOKYO and Kanagawa prefecture during each two weeks in the autumn of 2006. We used advanced ubiquitous information equipments, for example, IC cards, ubiquitous display, mirror display and electric paper etc. on the demonstration tests.

And, as our second target, we developed a specific navigation system, which provides sustainable information matching each consumer's preference, and leads to LOHAS lifestyle unconsciously.

We also researched the effect providing consumers LOHAS information on the consumer behavior in the case of food purchase.

We investigated the change of consumer behavior by two times customer survey questionnaires at the timing of before and after the demonstration test in supermarkets. We used RFIDs (IC cards) in order to relate each monitor consumer to the selected food according to each personal preference.

Selecting Bean Curd, Egg, Bean Sprout and Ham as test foods , we made the special navigation score system which evaluates the values of health, environment, freshness and price of the selected foods, and provides monitor consumers related information including LOHAS one .

The navigation score, including 'LOHAS points', refers two factors. The First factor depends on the values of health, environment, freshness and price of the selected foods. The second factor depends on the consumerfs personal preference concerning them.

We evaluated those personal preferences by the pre-questionnaire's answers, and divided all monitors into four categories.

As the result, monitor consumers are apt to buy the kind of items which were introduced with its LOHAS information, and the two third of them feel such 'Food Navigation System for LOHAS' useful and want to use continuously.

This project has been performed under the support of JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency).

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