Traditional or Fast Foods, Which One Do You Choose? The Roles of Traditional Value, Modern Value, and Promotion Focus

Eating behaviors and food consumption motivations have been important research topics in consumer, nutrition, and food literature. This study aims to examine the impact of some key factors (i.e., nationalism, materialism, cultural values, and promotion focus) on the consumption of traditional food and fast food in an emerging market. Using a sample data of 691 urban consumers in China, results of structural equation modeling reveal that nationalism appears to be an important predictor of traditional personal value, while materialism is a major factor that enhances modern personal value. Additionally, promotion focus has a positive mediating effect on the relationship between traditional personal value and traditional food purchase intention and that between modern personal value and fast food purchase intention. Notably, the total effect of modern personal value on fast food purchase intention is stronger than the total impact of traditional personal value on traditional food purchase intention. This study provides fresh insights into motivations for traditional food and fast food consumption in China and have important implications for food marketers and policymakers who aim at promoting favorable eating behaviors.