Food Consumption: A Perspective on Hedonic and Functional Dimensions of Food

Abstract

The goal of this study is to assess consumer behavior regarding food practices related to the hedonic and functional dimensions, considering that food, in addition to meeting a physiological need, is a sociocultural aspect. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted with 200 individuals through a survey. The results show that the respondents had more functional than hedonic behavior with respect to their food consumption. The functional behavior was more prevalent among male respondents and with higher education, exhibiting certain peculiarities in some age groups. This study is relevant because it assesses consumer behavior with respect to food products using a utilitarian and emotional approach, and because it adds knowledge derived from sociology and anthropology to the concepts of marketing.