Why do people choose the foods they do, and what factors are behind those choices?
The factors that affect consumer food choice, including cost and budget, availability, lifestyle and time, likes and dislikes, health, religion and culture, and advertising.
An SQA National 5 Health and Food Technology answer on the factors that affect consumer food choice, including cost and budget, availability, lifestyle and time, likes and dislikes, health, religion and culture, and advertising.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to explain the many factors that affect what foods a consumer chooses, including cost, availability, lifestyle, personal taste, health, religion and culture, and advertising, and to apply them to real situations.
Food choice is about more than hunger
People rarely choose food for one reason alone. The same shopper might pick a product because it is cheap, quick to cook, something the family likes, and on special offer. Understanding these factors helps explain consumer behaviour and helps manufacturers and retailers sell.
The main factors
Cost, availability and lifestyle
Cost is one of the strongest factors: people on a low budget look for cheaper foods, own-brand products and special offers, and may eat fewer expensive items such as meat and fish. Availability matters too: a consumer can only buy what local shops stock, and some foods are cheaper or only available in season. Lifestyle and time shape choices for busy people, who often buy convenient ready meals, snacks and easy-to-cook foods because they have little time to prepare meals from scratch.
Health, religion, culture and advertising
Health affects choice when a person is health-conscious, has an allergy or intolerance (such as to nuts or gluten), or has a condition such as diabetes that requires watching sugar. Religion and culture set rules: for example, some people do not eat pork or beef, some eat only food prepared in a particular way, and cultural background shapes the dishes a household cooks. Advertising influences choice through television and online marketing, attractive packaging, brand loyalty and special offers, which can encourage people to buy a product they had not planned to.
Examples in context
Example 1. A family with a young child. A parent chooses foods that the child likes (likes and dislikes), that are affordable (cost), and that are quick to prepare on a busy weeknight (lifestyle), while trying to keep them healthy. Several factors shape one shopping trip.
Example 2. A consumer following a religious diet. A shopper who follows religious dietary rules chooses only foods that are allowed and prepared in the approved way, so religion and culture is the main factor guiding their choice, alongside cost and taste.
Try this
Q1. State two factors, other than health, that affect consumer food choice. [1 mark]
- Cue. Any two of: cost and budget, availability, lifestyle and time, likes and dislikes, religion and culture, advertising.
Q2. Give one example of how religion or culture can affect food choice. [1 mark]
- Cue. Some people do not eat pork or beef, or eat only food prepared in a certain (for example halal or kosher) way.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksExplain four factors that may affect the food choices a consumer makes.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark answer needs four separate factors, each briefly explained.
Factor 1. Cost and budget. People on a low budget choose cheaper foods and may buy own-brand or special-offer items, while those with more money have wider choice.
Factor 2. Lifestyle and time. People with busy or active lives often choose convenience foods, ready meals and snacks because they have little time to cook.
Factor 3. Health. People who are health-conscious, or who have a condition such as diabetes or high cholesterol, choose foods to suit, for example lower-fat, lower-sugar or higher-fibre products.
Factor 4. Religion and culture. Religious and cultural rules affect what people will eat, for example some do not eat pork or beef, or eat only foods prepared in a certain way.
Other valid factors are availability (what local shops stock and the season), personal likes and dislikes, and advertising. Markers reward four distinct factors with a brief reason for each.
SQA N5 style3 marksExplain how cost and lifestyle can affect the food choices of a family on a tight budget.Show worked answer →
This question focuses on two factors applied to one situation.
Cost. A family on a tight budget will look for cheaper options, such as own-brand products, items on special offer, cheaper cuts of meat or meat-free meals based on beans and pulses, and may buy in bulk to save money. Price is a main driver of their choices.
Lifestyle. If the family is busy, with parents working and children at activities, they may have little time to cook from scratch, so they choose quick, convenient meals. Sometimes the cheapest convenient options are higher in fat, sugar and salt.
A further point that scores is that planning meals and shopping carefully can help a family eat well on a budget despite these pressures. Markers reward the cost and lifestyle factors clearly applied to the family.
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