Neophobia in food consumption: an empirical application of the FTNS scale in Southern Italy

Through the Food Technology Neophobia Scale (FTNS) proposed by Cox and Evans (2008) this work investigates the role of consumer attitudes to food technology in determining the probability of purchasing innovative products by using a set of commonly purchased food. Six food categories with different processing levels were analyzed. Consumer choices were empirically modeled through a simultaneous system of three equations. The results confirm the strength of the FTNS scale, reflecting the dichotomy between neophobia and neophilia attitudes even in southern Italy, characterized by a very different socio-cultural context from that analyzed by Cox and Evans. The model highlights the role of both consumer attitudes to technology and socio-demographic characteristics in determining the probability of buying innovative products, providing some initial elements to define ideal customer profiles for the products considered.