Food Fraud Conceptualization: An Exploratory Study with Portuguese Consumers

Maria João Costa; Isabel Sousa; Ana Pinto Moura; José A Teixeira; Luís Miguel Cunha

doi:10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100301

Food Fraud Conceptualization: An Exploratory Study with Portuguese Consumers

J Food Prot. 2024 May 11;87(7):100301. doi: 10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100301. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Maria João Costa¹, Isabel Sousa², Ana Pinto Moura³, José A Teixeira⁴, Luís Miguel Cunha⁵

Affiliations

¹ GreenUPorto- Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/INOV4Agro, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; DGAOT, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
² GreenUPorto- Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/INOV4Agro, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; DGAOT, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; LABBELS -Associated Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal.
³ GreenUPorto- Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/INOV4Agro, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; DCeT, Universidade Aberta, Porto, Portugal.
⁴ CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; LABBELS -Associated Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal.
⁵ GreenUPorto- Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre/INOV4Agro, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; DGAOT, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: lmcunha@fc.up.pt.

PMID: 38740141
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100301

Abstract

Food fraud refers to deceptive practices conducted for economic gain, and incidents of such fraud are often reported in the media and scientific literature. However, little is known about how European consumers perceive food fraud. To address this gap, a study explored Portuguese consumers' knowledge and perceptions of food fraud using qualitative methods such as free word association and semi-structured interviews. For this research, 340 participants were recruited, providing 911 valid words, classified into categories, major categories, and dimensions. Differences between consumers' previous exposure to food fraud and sociodemographic characteristics were explored. Additionally, other thirty-six participants were selected and interviewed, following a semi-structured guide. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a thematic analysis procedure. The results suggest that Portuguese consumers view food fraud as a morally reprehensible deception and are aware of its causes and impacts. However, not all consumers know the different forms of food fraud or the types of products vulnerable to fraud. Among the most repeated words were "deception", "expiration date", and "falsification". Despite this food fraud awareness, most consumers believed they were not exposed to food fraud and stated that they do not conduct daily practices to reduce exposure to it. Following the chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests, significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were identified between participants exposed and not exposed to food fraud. The study also found that consumers with higher education and self-reported exposure to food fraud had a better understanding of the issue. This study provides insights for quantitative research on consumer perceptions and beliefs about food fraud to explore further vulnerable food categories and types of food fraud in real-world scenarios.

Keywords: Consumer perception; Food fraud; Free word association; Qualitative methods; Semi-structured interviews.