Choice Probability for Apple Juice Based on Novel Processing Techniques : Investigating the Choice Relevance of Mean-End-Chains

The main aim of this study is to investigate an old challenge for means-end chain (MEC) theory; the lack of demonstration for means-end chains choice relevance. Even though MEC has become a commonly used tool in commercial market research and has been widely used in applied consumer research, within the core of academic consumer research, MEC has been almost ignored. One plausible explanation for this lack of interest may be that studies linking MEC data to choice have been few. In this study, we are to investigate how values and consequences generated from a previous MEC study structure can be linked to likelihood of choice. Hypotheses about European consumers’ likelihood of choice for novel processed juice are stated and tested in a rating based conjoint study in Norway, Denmark, Hungary and Slovakia. In the study, consumers probability of choice for high pressure processed (HPP) juice and pulsed electric field (PEF) juice are compared with their probability of choice for pasteurized juice and freshly produced apple juice, and consumer choices are tried explained by values and consequences generated from a MEC study. The study support, at least partly, that means-end chain structures’ have choice relevance