Consumer Orientation toward Healthy Foods: Literature Review and a Model of Market Players Coordination

Abstract

Consumer orientation toward healthy foods depends on the coordination of producers' actions, public policies and consumer’s ability to make choices. At the same time, this orientation depends not only on consumer awareness (knowledge and ability to choose foods consciously), but also on the possibility of making this choice, which is ensured by coordinated actions of companies and a state. This article discusses approaches to defining unhealthy and healthy foods, as well as the existing governmental regulations in this area. Based on the review, a model for coordinating multidirectional interests of market players (state, companies and consumers) to ensure the regulation of sales of unhealthy foods has been proposed. The model helps to determine optimal prices and taxes on relevant food products.