Factors which affect food choice

People like convenience, and will probably end up eating what's readily available to them rather than going out of their way.

Online shopping is making this less of an issue, as people in rural or isolated areas can order from large supermarkets and don't just hav to rely on what's near them.

Not all foods are available year-round.

Some foods that are grown in the UK (e.g. blackberries) are only available during certain months.

Increasingly, people are concerned about the impact food miles have on the environment. To cut international imports, people may choose to purchase seasonal local produce.

People may choose to eat lots of healthy foods and not so many high in sugar or fat as part of a healthy diet.

If a person is allergic or intolerant to a type of food, they'll avoid eating it.

Price is an important consideration when buying food.

Some people may choose to spend more on food that's better quality.

People can save money on food through supermarket offers, and through comparing foods by price per gram.

Bulk buying foods can save costs.

Generally, buying ingrediants to make meal from scratch is cheaper (per portion) than purchasing ready meals.

Different people will need to eat different amounts of carlories depending on their PAL. E.g. someone who is very active should have a 20% higher calorie intake than someone who is inactive.

Athletes may deliberately tailor their diets to enhance performance. E.g. by consuming more high carbohydrate foods to boost endurance.

Some people find the prospects of cooking a hard-looking recipe daunting. They might be worried about getting things wrong or not enjoying the process.

Ingrediants can be expensive, so people who are not confident cooks may go for cheaper ready-made options.

People often base special occasions around celebatory meals.

Food choices are not often very healthy- e.g. a sugary birthday cake.

The higher a person's income, the more likely they are to purchase more expensive foods. Higher price tags suggest better quality.

The lower a person's income, the more likely they are to purchase cheaper foods. Often, unhealthy processed foods are cheaper than more nutritious fresh ingrediants, like fresh vegetables and meats.

People from lower income groups tend to have more unhealthy diets then those from higher income groups. This is a generalisation and is not always true.

Busy people may not always have enough time to prepare a nutritious meal from scratch. They may rely on unhealthy ready meals for convenience.

Stress and boredom can lead people to comfort eat sugary and fatty foods.

People can pick up bad eating habits, like eating meals close to bedtime, which doesn't give the body enough time to digest the food properly.

Peoples' eating patterns vary- some may choose to eat 3 big meal at set meal times, while others may eat smaller meals more frequently.

People can enjoy foods for a variety of reasons, includinf looks, smells, tastes, and textures. Naturally, people often choose to eat foods that they like.

The foods that we enjoy may not always be the healthiest options. (e.g. sugary cookies and cakes, and fatty chips).

People may take a while to adjust to bitter flavours, like cocoa and cranberries.

Organic foods are made without using synthetic chemicals. Natural fertilisers and pest control are used to grow organic foods. Some people prefer eating natural produce.

Some people are worried that genetically modified foods may have negative impacts on the environment and persn eating them.

By purchasing seasonal and locally-grown foods, people can help to reduce food miles and boost the local economy.

By purchasing fish caught sustainably, people can help to avoid ecosystem damage and the extiction of certain fish species.

Some people choose to not eat meat because of their concerns for animal welfare.

Others may choose foods based on the ethical treatment of the animal (e.g. free-ranged eggs and meat).

By purchasing fairtrade producs, people can support farmers in developing countries by ensuring that they recieve a fair price.

Fairtrade products can be more expensive than other products for this reason.

People with food intolerances may experience, bloating, stomach cramps, skin problems, nausea, and diarrhoes from eating those foods.

Lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance are both very common.

Some people can be fatally allegic to certain foods.

Others can suffer serious illnesses as a result of their allergies.

Nut allergies, dairy allergies, gluten allergies, shellfish allergies, fish allergies, and egg allergies are all very common.

For this reason, food must be labled clearly so that people don't accidently eat something they're allergic to. 

Some Hindus are vegetarian to avoid unnecessary suffering to something living.

Some vegetarian Hindus don't eat vegetables that are thought to be harmful, (e.g. onions, root vegetables and garlic).

Hindus do not eat beef as cows are sacred animal in Hinduism.

Jhatka is meat from an animal kill instantly, without experiencing pain. Hindus must eat Jhatka meat if they are to eat meat at all. 

According to the Qur'an food must be Halal- animals must be blessed and slaughtered accoring to Islamic law.

Muslims cannot drink alcohol or eat any forms of pork.

Some Muslims fast during Ramadan. They do not drink or eat during sunrise and sunset.

No strict laws on eating.

Some Christians may decided to give up specific foods or drink during the lent period.

Certain foods tend to be eaten during Christian festivals. For example: on Good Friday, Christians may eat hot cross buns to remember Christ's crucifixion.

Point of sale Marketing:

Items are deliberatly placed near the till to try to encourage shoppers ot buy them last minute.

Loyalty cards:

Through these schemes, supermarkets can store data on buyers' preferences and send targeted offers.

Special offers:

Offers persude people to purchase products that thye might not have bought otherwise.

People are attracted to special offers as they think they're getting a good deal.

Health benefits:

Food companies may promote a low fat/sugar alternative to one of their products. They may also highlight that a product contains natural ingrediants to appeal to health-conscious buyers.

Endorsments:

Celebrity endorsements can romote sales.

Food compainies and brands can team up to target certain ages (e.g. disney for young children).

Food compainies can also sponsor indivisuals or event which helps reach a wider audience.