Analyses of consumers' dietary behavior: An application of the AIDS model to supermarket scanner data

Nationwide food consumption surveys often find no difference in the diets of lower and higher income Americans, while studies of particular food commodities find major differences. These contrasting results represent a consumption paradox. We attempt to gain an understanding of this paradox by using supermarket scanner data to examine food purchases and, by extension, consumption patterns for consumers in two, geographically distinct, income areas. These areas are part of the larger Columbus, OH, metropolitan area (CMA) and six stores are selected for purchase and consumption analyses-three from the lowest income areas of the CMA and three from the highest income areas. Seven product categories are analyzed in this study and these categories are subdivided into meaningful nutritional classes. An Almost Ideal Demand System is employed and the empirical results reveal major differences in consumption behavior for the two groups. [EconLit citations: D120 and D190.] © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 19: 203-221, 2003.