Investigating Food Values During High Inflation in Germany

This research article investigates the changing importance of food values among consumers in Germany before and during a period of high inflation. The study employs best-worst scaling to assess the relative significance of 11 food values and utilizes latent class cluster analyses to identify distinct consumer segments based on their preferences. Data was collected through online surveys involving 1000 consumers in Bavaria during November 2020 and November 2022. The findings indicate a notable increase in the importance of price as a food value, with a larger price-sensitive segment emerging in 2022 compared to 2020. Conversely, the segment focused on societal impacts has diminished. The study highlights the implications of these shifts for sustainable dietary transitions, suggesting the need for targeted measures to address the growing emphasis on price in food choices. The research contributes to existing literature by exploring consumer behavior in the context of economic pressures and food value hierarchies.