Sumario: | This study sought to determine the relative importance of the country of origin in
the selection of four foodstuffs (rice, sugar, chicken meat and oil); to identify consumer
segments; and to evaluate which sociodemographic variables affect ethnocentrism in
food consumption, through a survey responded by 800 habitual supermarket shoppers
in southern Chile. It was determined that the country of origin was the most important
attribute in the selection of the four foods. Three consumer segments were distinguished
which assigned a different degree of importance to the country of origin, although
in two segments the country of origin was highly important in the purchase choice.
The consumers of the three segments preferred Chilean foods and expressed a lower
preference for food imported from countries that were farther away and more culturally
different from Chile. The segments differed significantly in the frequency of purchase
of imported foods, reasons for preferring to buy imported foods, and ethnocentrism. It
was found that if the respondent was a woman, of older age, belonged to the medium
or high socioeconomic level, and had a conservative lifestyle, the probability of being
ethnocentric in food consumption increased.
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