大台北地區中年消費族群之健康食品認知與消費者行為初探

廖培如

指導教授 ： 林薇

國立臺灣師範大學/教育學院/人類發展與家庭學系/碩士(2005年)

摘要

隨著人口逐漸邁向高齡化，國人的健康意識及養生概念也逐漸抬頭，除了對食物的需求越趨多樣化外，亦希望能藉由科技簡化健康維持的步驟，因而市面上林林總總之「保健食品」立意而生。許多研究調查發現健康食品的消費以中年消費族群為主，故本研究以大台北地區中年消費族群年齡為50∼65歲12位男女為對象，進行質性深度訪談，探討他們健康食品之消費現況、動機、影響因素及對於政府管理的建議與期望。結果發現：1）認知現況：消費者認為健康食品功能似藥、外型似藥、製作過程也似藥，認知中的健康食品就是保健食品公司所生產的保健產品，除可補強身體機能，也具有治療疾病功能。消費者不知「健康食品標誌」標誌的意義，多認為是一種品質核可的機制，且不知一般食品型態之產品也在健康食品之列。2）消費動機及消費者行為模式：中年消費者保健食品的消費主要動機受其健康狀態（自覺健康狀態與實際健康狀態）、保健養身之道或認知上是否覺得需要以保健食品做日常營養補充、以及親友推薦（尤其有成功使用經驗者）的影響。當消費者身體狀況不佳，且其自覺健康狀態與刺激來源說詞相符（改善身體機能或具特定療效）時，或認為由日常飲食無法獲得某些營養，或有親友的推薦（尤其有成功使用經驗者）時，即使有違其日常保健養身之道（如生活規律均衡飲食、相信醫生），也會觸動其心中對保健食品的結果期待，進而激發其消費動機、消費決策及最後的消費者行為—食用保健食品，但當健康狀況恢復後可能就不再食用。但若本身即是推崇保健食品者，在身體狀況不佳且又與刺激來源說詞相符時，會大量且規律的使用保健食品。由於市售保健食品價格偏高，故消費者的消費決策亦受制於其社經地位，高社經者較易做出購買決策，低社經者則否。此外，消費者在食用保健食品後，若發現效果屬實（產品的評價），則更加強其日後的消費者行為；3）在未來對於政策管理及運作之建議方面：多數消費者雖肯定政府制訂健康食品管理法，但卻指出未來健康食品選擇主要仍根據自身需求，並不在意產品有無健康食品標誌。此外，消費者認為既然訂定法規，就應嚴格把關及加強取締，且應加強宣導，增加消費者對健康食品標誌的認識。研究結果顯示從法案施行迄今七年多，不僅消費者對健康食品的認知與法定有差距，市面上充斥各種保健食品，消費者並未受到健康食品管理法的保障，政府應省思立法的目的，檢討這種管理方式—尤其是對一般食品型式的健康食品的認證的實質意義。

關鍵字

健康食品 ； 中年消費族群 ； 消費者行為 ； 質性深度訪談

並列摘要

With an aging population, maintaining healthy is drawing everyone’s attention. In addition to the need for food diversity, it is hoped that health maintenance can be simplified through technology. Therefore various types of health foods are thriving in the market. Numerous studies have found that middle-aged is the main customer of health food products. With this in mind, a current study investigates 12 middle-aged male and female subjects from the ages of 50 to 65. These individuals all live in Taipei. Using a qualitative in-depth interview there was an attempt to understand the status, motivation, and influencing factors of health food consumption as well as and the expectations toward the management of the government. The results show that firstly of all, customers presume that the function, appearance, and production process of health food resemble that associated with medicine. It is assumed that health food is the product produced by a health food company. It can not only strengthen the physical condition but also contain curative functions. Customers do not understand the meaning of “the symbol of health food”. Most of them think this symbol serves as quality affirmation and are not aware that health food may also in regular food forms. Secondly, in terms of purchasing motivation and the behavior pattern, middle-aged customers consumed health food based on their health condition, the principle of health maintenance, the need for health food as daily nutrition supplements, or the suggestions from relatives and friends (those who have had a pleasant experience in consuming health food).
When the customers are not physically sound, they feel their health condition needs to be improved and thus make choices based on an improvement of health. When they believe that certain nutrition cannot be acquired through daily diet, or when they are given suggestions from relatives or friends who have had successful experiences with health foods, it is likely that their expectation of health food providing the essential nutrients to improve health is thus kindled. Furthermore they are motivated and determined to purchase health food even though doing so is in effect not in keeping with their regular principle of health maintenance. However, it is found that they will not continue consumption once their health condition is improved. Nonetheless, if they are an advocate of health food themselves, they will regularly consume health foods in large amounts especially when their physical conditions are not sound. Because the price of health food in the market tends to be high, the purchasing behavior is also subject to the customer’s socioeconomic status: those who are in higher socioeconomic status are more likely to make purchase food without price being a factor. In addition, consumer behavior will be reinforced once they find that the effects of the products are what they were looking for. Thirdly, many people recognize the Health Food Control Act established by the government. Customers believe that since the relevant law has been made, it is indispensable to implement this regulation strictly as well as to encourage promotion of the law so as to strengthen their understanding of the symbol of health food. The current study holds that the government spends much money on making relevant policies, evaluating products, promotion, and implementation but it has been found that all of these have not effective. Not only is there a discrepancy between the customers’ awareness of health food and that of the relevant policy, but also the market is filled with enormous health foods without government issued symbol. Customers are not protected by the Health Food Control Act. Our government should reconsider the purpose of making relevant laws and assessing the involvement of their constituents in accepting these laws.

並列關鍵字

health food ； middle age consumer ； consumer behavior ； qualitative in-depth interviewing

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