Preschoolers’ Food Product Choices at a Simulated Point of Purchase and Mothers’ Consumer Practices

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the positive attributes of familiar food products as reported by preschool children and to assess their mothers' consumer practices. At two in-home interviews, children (n = 34, ages 60 and 69 months) were asked to select one food from nine pairs of familiar foods (cereals, beverages, yogurt, and gummy candies). Concurrently but separately, their mothers (n = 34) completed a consumer questionnaire. Children's cognitive development levels were assessed. Statistical Analysis System (SAS) was used to compute descriptive statistics and quantitative analyses for categorizing children's reasons for food choices in a simulated point of purchase decision. Most children selected one of the paired foods based on a single attribute (e.g., character/action figure or type of product). At 69 months, single attributes reported earlier changed (e.g., characters to taste). Findings indicate that most children were in the preoperational stage of development. They did not select foods using several attributes, which would indicate a higher level of cognition. For mothers, economic factors had the most influence on their consumer practices. Preschool children's food selections were influenced by a single attribute of the product/packaging at 60 and 69 months of age. Parents need information about preschoolers' single attribute selection process and to use that process to teach better food selection.