FOREIGN TRADE UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ECONOMIC AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

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FINAL REPORT
Module: Research Methodology
“THE IMPACT OF PRODUCTS WITH NUTRITION AND HEALTH CLAIMS ON
FOREIGN TRADE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND PURCHASE
BEHAVIOR”

Class: TMAE(GD1-HK1-2223).1
Instructor: Phạm Thị Cẩm Anh
Group: 13

Members Student ID
Trịnh Thị Minh Hạnh 2113150028
Đào Linh Giang 2113150023
Trần Thị Kim Ngân 2112150128
Nguyễn Mai Hương 2113150034

Hanoi, October 2022

 GROUP MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTION LEVELS

No. Member Student ID Contribution levels

1 Trịnh Thị Minh Hạnh 2113150028 25%
2 Đào Linh Giang 2113150023 25%
3 Trần Thị Kim Ngân 2112150128 25%
4 Nguyễn Mai Hương 2113150034 25%

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................3

2. LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................................5

2.1. Healthy food categories.....................................................................................................5

2.1.1. Diet/ zero/ light/ whole foods....................................................................................5

2.1.2. Functional foods........................................................................................................5

2.1.3. Organic foods.............................................................................................................6

2.2. Types of claims on food products......................................................................................6

2.2.1. Health claims.............................................................................................................6

2.2.2. Nutrition claim...........................................................................................................8

2.3. Consumers’ perceptions toward health and nutrition claims.............................................8

2.4. Health- related claims and purchase decision....................................................................9

3. RESEARCH PURPOSE.........................................................................................................12

4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES...................................................................................................12

5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS....................................................................................................12

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6. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES.................................................................................................13

7. METHODOLOGY.................................................................................................................14

7.1. Data collection method....................................................................................................14

7.2. Sampling method.............................................................................................................15

7.3. Pre-test.............................................................................................................................15

7.4. Data analysis method.......................................................................................................16

8. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY.........................................................................................18

9. CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY.....................................................................................19

10. SCOPE OF THE STUDY...................................................................................................20

11. RESEARCH ETHICS........................................................................................................21

12. PLANS TO MINIMIZE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL THREATS..............................22

13. PROJECT TIMELINE........................................................................................................23

14. APPENDIX.........................................................................................................................25

14.1. Questionnaire...................................................................................................................25

15. REFERENCE.....................................................................................................................29

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1. INTRODUCTION

Despite the rapid development of today’s world, many consumers are confronting health
risks as a result of an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and a nutritionally poorer diet (Shields &
Tremblay, 2008). Excess weight, specifically, is becoming a serious public health concern,
threatening to disrupt the quality of life for millions of people. In fact, a dramatic increase in the
number of overweight and obese people has been recorded in recent decades (Hanson & Yun,
2018). Between 1975 and 2016, worldwide obesity nearly tripled, with over 1.9 billion adults,
approximately 41 million children under the age of five, and more than 340 million adolescents
being overweight or obese (World Health Organization, 2018).

In Vietnam, the prevalence of overweight/obesity (closely related to diet and lifestyle) is

increasing rapidly in all age groups both in urban and rural areas. Specifically, the proportion of
overweight and obese people in Vietnam has risen from 8.5% in 2010 to 19.0% in 2020, of
which urban areas make up 26.8%, rural areas constitute 18,3% and mountainous areas account
for 6.9% (National Institute of Nutrition (Ministry of Public Health).

Under such circumstances, emphasis has been put on the significance of more nutritional-
adjusted food choices and healthier eating habits, both by the media and in academic research,
specifically in relation to food choice variables (Saba et al., 2010). Innovation in the global food
and beverage market is constantly being prompted by health concerns. With technological
advances, companies are now able to generate an almost unlimited number of new nutritional-
adjusted food concepts, such as sweeteners and light, fortified, and functional items (Saba et al.,
2010). Resultantly, there was an increase in visibility and public awareness of healthy eating,
which, in addition to the prevalence of obesity, urges the food industry to reformulate and
advertise items as healthier choices (Menrad, 2003).

However, regardless of consumers’ high assessments of these healthy alternatives, their

purchase intentions may not always match their claim. There are perceived discrepancies
between additional components (for example, fiber) and reduced ingredients (for example,
sugar), with the former being more highly appreciated than the latter (Hanson & Yun, 2018). The
negative inferences made about these foods' attributes can explain the apparent disparity between
consumers' positive attitudes toward these products and their purchase intentions, such as less

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pleasant taste compared to the original product, higher prices and lower availability (Loebnitz &
Grunert, 2018).

The motivation for this research topic stems from the fact that healthy eating is becoming
increasingly popular globally. In Vietnam, the medical food industry is growing day by day due
to the improvement of living standards. The medical foods segment is the leading sector of the
nutrition market. In 2019, consumption of dairy products was one of the main growth drivers for
products in the Vietnamese market. Ranked second is the functional beverage segment (Vietnam
Credit, 2021). A report published by The Conference Board Global Consumer Confidence and
Nielsen in 2019 shows that Vietnamese consumers’ primary concern is about healthcare. In
1995, per capita health expenditure in Vietnam was 20 USD. This figure skyrocketed to $168.99
in 2016, exceeding Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar.

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Healthy food categories

Food companies now employ a number of terms to describe healthier versions of their
products in comparison to more conventional ones. These terms often clarify what sets the new
option apart from the conventional version, even though the objective is always to imply a
potential health benefit associated with the addition or reduction of a certain nutrient.

2.1.1. Diet/ zero/ light/ whole foods

 When a nutrient is reduced by at least 25% from the reference product (the conventional
version), the food is deemed to be "light”.
 Food items may also bear the labels "diet" or "zero”, both of which involve food items
that have one or more nutrients completely removed, such as salt or sugar. However, and
more often in these variants, other less healthy elements, such fat, might be increased to
prevent the loss of flavor in comparison to the original (Gravel, Doucet, Herman,
Pomerleau, & Bourlaud, 2012).
 The terms "lean" and "whole" are also applied, with the former referring to food items
containing a fat or sugar composition of no more than 5 grams per 100 milliliters/grams.
The latter describes foods that fully utilize the grain, i.e., foods that are industrialized, yet
still retain all of their qualities and nutrients (Gravel, Doucet, Herman, Pomerleau, &
Bourlaud, 2012).

2.1.2. Functional foods

The last two decades have seen a significant advance in people’s understanding of the impact of
diet on health and wellbeing. This has prompted the development of new, healthier foods that
lower the chance of developing some chronic diseases. Such foods are termed “functional
foods”, which are dietary items claimed to have an additional health function by adding new
ingredients or more of existing ingredients. Food is considered functional, according to a widely
accepted definition, if “it has been satisfactorily demonstrated to beneficially affect one or more
functions in the body, beyond the appropriate nutritional effects, in a way that is relevant to

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improved health status and well-being and/or a reduction in disease risk” (Aschemann-Witzel et
al., 2013, p. 68).

The development of functional foods has been influenced by a number of factors, including
apparent demographic changes, an aging population, food safety concerns, the disappearance of
traditional food cultures, awareness of declining personal health due to busy lifestyles, poor
convenience food options, and a competitive food market (German, Schiffrin, Reniero, Mollet, &
Pfeifer, 1999). Additionally, insufficient exercise, increased self-medication, increased health
authority information, nutritional information, the connection between diet and health, and
technological advancements in nutrition research have all contributed to its emergence. (German
et al., 1999)

2.1.3. Organic foods

Organic food is produced through a farm management and food production system that
prioritizes environmental protection, animal welfare, and prevents pesticide contamination (Lee
& Yun, 2016). There has been an increase in demand for regional, sustainable, and organic food
production (Stagl, 2002).

Organic farming is one of the agricultural sectors with the fastest growth rates globally.
Furthermore, it has the tendency to enhance biodiversity and sustainability in rural communities.
The organic market, which occupies an average of 5% of the European Union’s territory (Helga
& Yussefi, 2007), is largest in Italy, followed by Germany and the United Kingdom. Over the
past 20 years, the organic food market has grown at an average annual pace of 10%. The organic
food business in Europe is currently projected to be worth 20 billion euros per annum, or 1.5% of
the entire food market. However, because the production rate for organic goods is far lower than
the demand, there is a very high importation rate throughout Europe (particularly for fruits and
vegetables). Manufacturers in third world countries see this rising need for organic products as a
great business prospect (European Court of Auditors, 2012).

2.2. Types of claims on food products

According to CAC/GL 23-1997 - Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims:

2.2.1. Health claims

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“Health claim means any representation that states, suggests, or implies that a relationship exists
between a food or a constituent of that food and health. Health claims include the following:

 Nutrient function claims – a nutrition claim that describes the physiological role of the
nutrient in growth, development, and normal functions of the body.

Example: “Nutrient A (naming a physiological role of nutrient A in the body in

the maintenance of health and promotion of normal growth and development).
Food X is a source of/ high in nutrient A.”

 Other function claims – These claims concern specific beneficial effects of the
consumption of foods or their constituents, in the context of the total diet on normal
functions or biological activities of the body. Such claims relate to a positive contribution
to health or to the improvement of a function or to modifying or preserving health.

Examples: “Substance A (naming the effect of substance A on improving or

modifying a physiological function or biological activity associated with health).
Food Y contains x grams of substance A.”

 Reduction of disease risk claims – Claims relating the consumption of a food or food
constituent, in the context of the total diet, to the reduced risk of developing a disease or
health-related condition. Risk reduction means significantly altering a major risk
factor(s) for a disease or health-related condition. Diseases have multiple risk factors and
altering one of these risk factors may or may not have a beneficial effect. The
presentation of risk reduction claims must ensure, for example, by use of appropriate
language and reference to other risk factors, that consumers do not interpret them as
prevention claims.

Examples: “A healthful diet low in nutrient or substance A may reduce the risk of
disease D. Food X is low in nutrient or substance A.” “A healthful diet rich in
nutrient or substance A may reduce the risk of disease D. Food X is high in
nutrients or substance A.”

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 “Health claims should be consistent with national health policy, including nutrition policy,
and support such policies where applicable. Health claims should be supported by a sound and
sufficient body of scientific evidence to substantiate the claim, provide truthful and non-
misleading information to aid consumers in choosing healthful diets and be supported by specific
consumer education. The impact of health claims on consumers’ eating behaviors and dietary
patterns should be monitored, in general, by competent authorities.”

2.2.2. Nutrition claim

“Nutrition claim means any representation which states, suggests or implies that a food has
particular nutritional properties including but not limited to the energy value and to the content
of protein, fat and carbohydrates, as well as the content of vitamins and minerals. Nutrient
content claim is a nutrition claim that describes the level of a nutrient contained in a food.
(Examples: “source of calcium”; “high in fibre and low in fat”.)”

 Nutrient content claim is a nutrition claim that describes the level of a nutrient
contained in a food. (Examples: “source of calcium”; “high in fibre and low in fat”.)

 Nutrient comparative claim is a claim that compares the nutrient levels and/or energy
value of two or more foods. (Examples: “reduced”; “less than”; “fewer”; “increased”;
“more than”.)

 Non-addition claim means any claim that an ingredient has not been added to a food,
either directly or indirectly. The ingredient is one whose presence or addition is permitted
in the food and which consumers would normally expect to find in the food.

“Nutrition claims should be consistent with national nutrition policy and support that policy.
Only nutrition claims that support national nutrition policy should be allowed.”

2.3. Consumers’ perceptions toward health and nutrition claims

Health is an important factor to take into account when choosing a purchase, and nutrition
and health claims might be beneficial. In addition, accurate nutritional information on the
product label creates a more favorable impression. According to a study, consumers' propensity
to overgeneralize the claim's health impact by considering the product to be healthy overall, even

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though it has only highlighted one specific component, is a factor that influences their favorable
opinion of a certain product (Burton, Andrews, & Netemeyer, 2000).

While many consumers claim to read and comprehend food labels, research by the
European Heart Network in 2003 revealed that their real comprehension is restricted (Mackison,
Wreiden, and Anderson, 2010, p.1). When asked to perform mathematical computations to
compare various serving sizes and nutrient data, they frequently struggle the most. Additionally,
the presence of too much information on the package, unfamiliar terminology, difficulty
interpreting the meaning of nutrients, and the relationships between calories and energy can get
consumers into trouble analyzing nutritional information (Williams, 2005). When consumers are
presented with benefits and substances they have never heard of before, it can potentially have a
negative effect (Williams, 2005).

There is also a risk that food items bearing health claims might appear healthier than they
really are due to the "health halo" effect. For instance, low-fat content nutrition labels encourage
customers to eat more of certain foods since they change how much is appropriate to eat, which
could result in overeating and lower perceived energy intake (Derby & Levy, 2005)

What is the case in Vietnam at the moment?

Recently, the research “Helping Brands Tap into Vietnam’s Changing Eating Habits”
showed a lot of interesting results. In particular, Vero and Decision Lab (2022) tracked social
media discussions and news on the topic of the relationship between food and mental & physical
health over a four-year period from 2018–2022, and surveyed 828 consumers in Vietnam based
on a set of 31 questions of the related topic. The study reveals that more than 27% of Vietnamese
consumers consider the nutritional value as well as the health benefits of food and drink to be the
most important factors when choosing a product. In addition, a large part of consumers of
Generation Z and Y also said that they value transparency about the origin of food when viewing
the list of main ingredients. Although health and nutrition claims were not included, this supports
the idea that such health-related claims can have a positive impact on Vietnamese consumers’
perception when it comes to purchasing food products due to the higher health awareness,
especially with the younger generation.

2.4. Health- related claims and purchase decision

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 Study results are quite various regarding whether nutrition and health claims on food lead
to positive consumer evaluations or purchase intentions.

On the one hand, there were researches showing that nutrition and health claims can cause
consumers to have negative opinions of products and have fewer plans to buy them (Bialkova,
Sasse, & Fenko,2016; Aschemann-Witzel & Grunert,2015; Maubach, Hoek, & Mather,2014;
Lähteenmäki,2013; Kiesel & Villas-Boas, 2013; Berning, Chouinard, & 22 McCluskey, 2011).

It is also noteworthy that the decision to buy can be influenced by a variety of factors,
including preferences, brands, prices, product attractiveness, and buying patterns (Nocella &
Kennedy, 2012). While each of the mentioned factors influences a consumer's decision to buy a
product in some way, taste and price have the biggest effects on whether or not they decide to
buy food products (Nocella & Kennedy, 2012). Additionally, there are personal determinants of
consumers’ purchase decisions, such as current health conditions or level of concern about future
health (Bos, Lans, Rijnsoever, & Trijp, 2013). Regarding external factors, consumers’ social and
cultural interactions can greatly impact consumers’ purchase intentions (Stel & van
Koningsbruggen, 2015). Specifically, family members, friends, and colleagues, and those who
interact with consumers, can affect consumers’ choices. Consumers may also adopt healthy
eating habits if they are surrounded by a healthy eating social environment (McGee et al., 2008).

However, there is a plethora of research using various methods that describes nutrition and
health claims as highly effective marketing strategies that increase consumers’ purchase and
boost sales. Paul G, Ink S, Geiger C (1999) observed the sales before and after an introduction of
a health-related claim on the product and showed that when a health claim was put to the
packaging of The Quaker's breakfast oats, sales increased. Williams (2005) did a systematic
review on how consumers comprehend and use health claims and discovered some evidence that
suggests claims could enhance the caliber of dietary options. Wansink and Chandon (2006)
developed and tested a framework that showed low-fat nutrition labels could make participants
eat more of a snack food. In another study of Kaur, Scarborough, & Rayner (2016), the authors
conducted several researches mostly in artificial settings before coming to the conclusion that
nutrition and health claims had a positive effect on preferences and purchase behavior.

In recent years, data gathered has revealed a significant rise in consumer health
consciousness generally, especially with the younger generation. The Nielsen's Global Health

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and Wellness Survey offers compelling statistical evidence that of 30,000 customers in 60
nations, younger consumers are much more concerned than their parents and grandparents are
about everything from food ingredients to genetically modified food to organic foods. Young
millennials who participated in the poll indicated that 41% of them would spend more money on
a product if it was healthier. According to research, using health claims on product packaging
can be effective at catching the attention of these consumers.

A Japanese study of M.Hirogaki in 2013 examined the influences on Japanese consumers'

preferences for tea beverages with health benefits by surveying 265 Japanese university students
from 18 to 25 in a choice-based conjoint (CBC) experiment to determine the key factors that
influence their consumer behavior and calculate whether various health claims increase a
product’s value. The findings revealed a positive relationship between product health claims and
buying behavior. In particular, health claims have a positive and considerable impact on
Japanese consumers aged 18 to 25 who buy functional drinks.

Two researches above were the foundation for some of the hypotheses for the research
study at hand. Our team also uses quantitative methods to collect data with the use of
questionnaires, but the current study will strictly focus on part of young Vietnamese consumers -
students in Foreign Trade University.

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3. RESEARCH PURPOSE

This study helps in identifying and understanding factors that affect Foreign Trade
University student’s purchase decisions while considering health and wellness food products.

It can also help the marketers of healthy food products to:

 develop more effective marketing strategies in terms of product characteristics, market

attributes and psychographic variables.
 formulate optimal strategies to educate the consumers and encourage improvement in
eating habits of the consumers by incorporating healthier options in their food baskets
 design and develop newer and healthier food products and can guide them to properly
segment their markets in terms of choice of where and how to market these products

This study also provides regulatory authorities with insights for ensuring safe food delivery
in the market and fostering healthy competition among market players in the health and wellness
food industry. Policymakers must also ensure the authenticity of health claims made by health
and wellness food producers by strengthening existing regulations.

4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Together with increasing awareness about the health of individuals, this research aims to
identify consumer perceptions (young people in general, and Foreign Trade University students
specifically) towards food products with nutrition and health claims on food packaging. The
influence of these perceptions on purchase decisions is also studied in this research paper.
Students at Foreign Trade University were asked to participate in a study via questionnaires to
measure their general health knowledge and the impact of nutrition claims on them.

5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Our work aims to contribute to the process of making students more aware of health and
nutrition claims on products, as well as providing some insights to product designers to make

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their products more appealing to consumers. Our central research question will be organized to
investigate three areas:

 Consumers’ perception and behaviors (especially college students): Are safety, health
claims and nutrition values important when students consider buying a food product?
 Health and nutrition claims: Are the products with health and nutrition claims truly
healthy and nutritious or does the appearance frequency of health and nutrition claims
affect the choice of consumers. And to what degree do health and nutrition claims have
an impact on consumers’ purchase intentions? Are other factors as important as, or even
more important than health claims?
 Healthy food product marketers’ choice when designing the packaging of their product: If
the health and nutrition claims truly plays an important role in influencing consumers’
purchase behaviors, in what way and to what extent should the marketers deliver the
claims to the consumers? If not, what can be done instead to make a healthy food product
more appealing to consumers?

6. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Based on the research questions and literature review, the following hypotheses are formed:

 The first hypothesis (H1) is that if health and nutrition claims are an important factor
affecting consumers’ perceptions on products and shopping behaviors, then we will
observe the health and nutrition claims having a high ranking among the factors affecting
customers’ buying decisions meaning they
 The second hypothesis (H2) predicts that health and nutrition claims have a strong impact
on buyers’ attitude and purchase behaviors just as other factors.
 The third hypothesis (H3) is that the more promising health claims are presented and the
more frequently they appear on a product, the more likely it is for consumers to notice
and buy it than others without.

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7. METHODOLOGY

7.1. Data collection method

This research uses quantitative methods to understand deeper about perception and
purchase behaviors of consumers, which employs primary data collection methods. First-hand
information is collected via the completion of questionnaires both online and offline.
Quantitative questionnaire consists of multiple-choice questions and Likert 5-point scale to know
the attitude of the respondents regarding the importance of health and the effects of health
claims. Questionnaire helps it become possible to receive reliable data which can be generalized
to a larger population and also prevents distortions in interpreting analysis (Brace, 2008).

To understand the Foreign Trade University students’ perceptions towards products with
nutrition and health claims, they are required to fill in a questionnaire to identify their
background and perception of healthier alternatives. The questionnaire is preceded with a brief
introduction explaining the context and purpose of the questionnaire so that they know the aim
their answers used for. This also hopes to arouse the interest of respondents before coming into
detailed questions below.

At first, the respondents are asked questions about their background such as their gender,
age, religion and monthly income. This part contains only multiple-choice questions with aim to
segment respondents into different groups since according to the literature review, consumer
behaviors change differently when it comes to gender (Satia, Neuhouser and Galanko, 2005),
age (Campos, Hammond and Doxey, 2011) and maybe other characteristics of background.

In the next part of the questionnaire, some questions are given to measure the awareness
and care of Foreign Trade University students about food and health as well as consider some
criterias they choose for food products. These questions use a 5-point Likert scale to assess the
level of care students have, in which number 1 shows that respondents consider the given objects
totally unimportant, and number 5 shows that they evaluate very important for those objects.
Moreover, in terms of what is often valued when they purchase foods, a list of factors is given
such as taste, price or availability, which also use a 5-point Likert scale to measure the
importance level of each factor to purchase decisions, including nutrition and health claims on

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packaging. There is also an optional question for respondents to fill in if there are other factors
affecting their purchase choice.

Additionally, respondents are required to answer information related to the frequency of

reading food products label. If they don’t often read food labels, the next question aims to
examine the reasons behind this with some certain given causes and an open answer which gives
respondents a chance to fill in other reasons if they have. Furthermore, participants in the survey
are asked whether or not they have any physical conditions mandatory for a healthy diet. The
next questions also collect data about their habits regarding health care, which can accurately
determine the level of importance they consider for their health.

Regarding healthy alternatives, respondents are then asked about some information relating
to this kind of food products such as the place to buy, particular foods they choose, … Besides
healthier foods with nutrition and health claims, there are also traditional food on the market with
original amount of ingredients and nutrition, which sometimes contain high fat or sugar. -point
Likert Scale is applied again to compare the attitude and judgment of respondents on two kinds
of food products. Via this comparison, it is easy to see the tendency of choosing food products of
participants in this survey.

7.2. Sampling method

In terms of online form, the survey is created on Google Forms, a specialized platform
about making questionnaires. The sample is chosen by a non-probability convenience sample
method, the questionnaire is shared on social media such as Facebook or Instagram, getting
access with the number of Foreign Trade University students in friend lists of researchers.
Moreover, thanks to snowball sampling, more people are supposed to get involved in this
research through the introduction of acquaintances. A small gift will be sent through the
respondents’ emails after completing the survey so that they will have more motivation to fill the
questionnaire.

Regarding the offline survey, the content of the questionnaire is printed in hard copy. The
sample is chosen by a simple random sampling method. A number of students who commute in
Foreign Trade University campus will be chosen randomly to fill in the questionnaire. A small
gift can be given to stimulate the interest of respondents to the survey and attract more answers
from students in Foreign Trade University.
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 7.3. Pre-test
Before conducting a survey in the large scale of Foreign Trade University students, a pre-
test is conducted offline just for a small group of students. Since the research objectives are
Foreign Trade University students from the first year to the fourth year, participants in the pre-
test have to ensure the feature of the sample in the real survey. The number of participants in the
pre-test will be only 12 students, 3 students for each study time. The purpose of the pre-test is to
guarantee the level of suitability of questionnaire with respondents. Whether or not they can
answer all questions in the questionnaire and understand the meaning of questions in the same
way. This also helps to avoid data errors when analyzing the data in the next stage. In the pre-
test, researchers need to pay attention to the process of respondents answering the survey,
especially if respondents have any facial changes such as frowning, hesitation, ...It may be the
signals showing that there are some problems in the questionnaires which need revising after. All
feedback from respondents should be considered and be the foundation for editing the
questionnaire.

7.4. Data analysis method

After collecting answers for the questionnaire from a number of students in Foreign Trade
University, research comes to clean all the collected data before embarking on the analysis data.
Cleaning data is an important step before analyzing since it will help to interpret data more
correctly and quickly. It is essential to select a data management system, set up the properties for
data files and variables. During the process of collecting answers through the questionnaire
online and offline, duplicate cases could happen if a respondent accidentally took a survey twice
or there are some errors when retrieving the dataset. The purpose of the survey is to investigate
the impacts of nutrition and health claims on purchase intention so that the sample of
respondents have to avoid a big gap between different segments of Foreign Trade University
students such as gender. A randomized method can be used to remove any oversample in order
to meet the sample requirements. During the process of collecting data, some respondents
provide unqualified answers for the questionnaire, such as not finishing all questions or answers
in the wrong format. These situations need to be excluded when analyzing the data. Moreover,
regarding open-ended data, responses will be coded into categories.

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Descriptive analysis is used to reveal the statistical details about the collected answers. Data
collected by the instruments will be edited, coded and analyzed descriptively using measures of
central tendency and dispersion. This aims to establish frequencies, patterns, and relationships
among variables of the study. Via this kind of analysis, the research can find the most common
feature which nutrition and health claims affect the majority. The final findings are presented in
form of percentages and tables.

In terms of the different impact of nutrition and health claims among different groups of
respondents based on characteristics of background such as gender, study time, religion or
monthly income, group comparison is used with ranked data and numerical data. This helps to
come up with clear insight into the relation among groups of students and the effects of health
claims.

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8. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

During the process of doing study, some certain limitations still exist:

The survey of research is conducted under online and offline form. With offline form, the
sample is chosen randomly from students commuting in the Foreign Trade University campus so
that it ensures the quality and the representation of the research. However, with online form, the
questionnaire is shared via social media platform Facebook, which can be accessed to the friends
lists of researchers. Hence, the online survey is conducted with a convenient sampling method so
that the results are not representative. Research statistics become not fully reliable. In addition, to
stimulate the interest of respondents to the survey, small gifts are offered after the completion of
the questionnaire. However, this can result in negative consequences if participants respond
quickly without considering their real cases, which causes flaws in the collected data. Moreover,
research is only aimed at Foreign Trade University students so that the ability to generalize the
findings is not so high.

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9. CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY

It is evident that Vietnamese consumers are worried about their health, psychological
reactions to climate change, pollution of the environment, diseases, and food safety. In addition,
the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in Southeast Asia has led to significant changes
in people's eating patterns and ways of thinking. They move to the trend of green living and
"healthy" living, giving up the lifestyle of binge eating, snacking, being sedentary, and
dependence on electronics.

It is interesting to note, though, that very little research has been done to look at the health
claims that are becoming prevalent in the modern world. Studies and reports, if any, are
frequently oriented toward consumers as a whole and focus on food consumption trends or
factors affecting Vietnamese people's decisions to purchase some specific food categories. Our
team found this to be a significant gap in the literature, which was also one of the key drivers
behind this study. Therefore

 Our research is anticipated to establish the groundwork for more in-depth investigations
into the effects of health-related claims on consumer purchasing behavior by
concentrating on the influence of health and nutrition claims on young people - Foreign
Trade University students.
 Apart from that, we hope to provide more insights to today’s marketer to make their
products more appealing to consumers in the context of increasing consumer health
awareness.

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10. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

With the increasing number of products with strategic packaging that have numerous
health and nutrition claims, and with consumers becoming more conscious of their health than
ever, there has been increasing concern whether these claims have a considerable impact on the
consumers’ purchase intentions or not. However, not much research is done about the impact on
university students. In view of the situation, our group will conduct a survey to find out if it is
true and to find out other factors affecting purchase choices as well.

Due to limited time and resources, the sample size will be restricted within students
studying at Foreign Trade University, from first year to fourth year. Although the sample size is
not large enough to generalize the whole population, we hope to catch a general view of young
people and especially university students’ perceptions on health claims.

The survey period will last for approximately 20 days and will end either when enough
data is collected, or 20 days have passed. Each student will be asked to fill in a questionnaire
either on paper or on Google Forms.

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11. RESEARCH ETHICS

In order to ensure a high ethical standard while conducting research, the following ethical
principles our research will follow are:

 Informed consent: All potential participants will receive and understand all the
information they need to decide whether they want to participate. This includes
information about study, the risks, and benefits of taking part, and how long the study
will take. Their confidentiality will be ensured, and they are free to stop doing the survey
at any point for any reason.
 Confidentiality: All participants have a right to privacy, and we will protect their personal
data as long as we store or use it.
 Results communication:
o No plagiarism: All sources of information used to make this research will be
credited properly.
o No research misconduct: All the data collected will be presented as it is. Under no
circumstances will we make up, falsify any data, or manipulate data analyses and
misrepresent results in research reports.

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12. PLANS TO MINIMIZE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL THREATS

The process of collecting data can face some internal and external threats which can affect
the answers of respondents. Some measures need to be planned to avoid the influence of internal
and external threats to ensure the validity of the findings.

In terms of the offline survey, it is necessary to prevent social interaction among

participants in the survey. Each respondent is required to complete the questionnaire in a
separate place so that they cannot discuss the questions, which can affect the answers of the
questionnaire. Since maybe in their communication, their original opinion regarding nutrition
and health claims can be changed.

Moreover, when respondents fill in the questionnaire, they should not be monitored so that
they feel the most comfortable in finishing the survey. This is to avoid Hawthorne effects, which
is used to describe a change in the behavior of an individual that results from their awareness of
being observed. Maybe they will be more aware of their health just only in the questionnaire
while it is not true in their real life. They are also allowed to be anonymous when filing
information so that they can express their true opinions without being judged.

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13. PROJECT TIMELINE

Estimated Start End

Stage Activity
Duration Date Date

Identify research problem/

2 days 01/10/22 02/10/22
questions
Research design
and planning Develop research design 2 days 03/10/22 04/10/22

Write research proposal 6 days 05/10/22 10/10/22

Search, capture and synthesize

3 days 04/10/22 06/10/22
relevant literature
Literature review

Prepare draft literature review 2 days 07/10/22 08/10/22

Finalize sampling plan 1 day 07/10/22 07/10/22

Develop data collection

1 days 08/10/22 08/10/22
instrument (questionnaire)

Data collection Pre-test/pilot data collection

2 days 12/10/22 13/10/22
instrument

Carry out data collection 20 days 15/10/22 04/11/22

Write up data collection 5 days 05/11/22 10/11/22

Prepare data for analysis 3 days 11/11/22 13/11/22

Data analysis
Analyze data 10 days 13/11/22 22/11/22

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 Draw conclusions/
3 days 23/11/22 25/11/22
recommendations

Final draft of application 5 days 26/11/22 30/11/22

Review draft 5 days 01/12/22 04/12/22

Writing up
Final editing 15 days 05/12/22 19/12/22

Submit to supervisor 1 days 20/12/22 20/12/22

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14. APPENDIX

14.1. Questionnaire

Survey about the impact of nutrition and health claims on Foreign Trade University student
perception and purchase behaviors
Question 1: What is your gender
A. Male
B. Female
C. Other
Question 2: What is your age
A. 18
B. 19
C. 20
D. 21
E. Over 21
Question 3: What is your religion
A. Buddhism
B. Catholicism
C. Muslim
D. No
E. Other: ….
Question 4: What is your monthly income
A. No
B. Under 1 million
C. 1-2 million
D. 2-3 million
E. More than 3 million
Question 5: Please rank from 1 (totally unimportant) to 5 (very important) the level of
importance you give to the diet

1 2 3 4 5

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Question 6: Please rank from 1 (totally unimportant) to 5 (very important) the level of
importance of each aspect you consider when choosing food products

1 2 3 4 5

Taste

Brand name

Price

Ingredient lists

Nutrition and health claims

Package design

Availability at store

Question 7: Are there any other factors you often consider when choosing food products?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Question 8: Do you often read food product labels?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 9: If your answer is No in the previous question, why? (You can choose more than one
answer for this question)
A. So much information
B. Many terminology
C. Others: ………………………………
Question 10: Do you have any physical conditions that force you to eat healthier? (For example:
diabetes, high cholesterol, allergy, …)

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 A. Yes
B. No
Question 11: Do you often do physical activity?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 12: Do you think your social environment (family, friends, neighbors, ...) especially
pays attention to food and nutrition?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 13: Do you have a habit of trying new food products?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 14: Most of your meals are made at home or ready-made food?
A. Made at home
B. Ready-made food (from cafeteria, restaurants, supermarket, ...)
Question 15: Do you often choose traditional food products or healthy categories of food
products?
A. Traditional food products
B. Healthy food products
Question 16: If you choose healthy categories of food products (light/zero/whole food, organic
food, functional food), where do you often buy them?
A. Supermarket
B. Specialized stores
Question 17: Do you see the increase of healthier food products in the market?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 18: Which kinds of food products do you take nutrition and health claims into account?
A. Milk and milk products (cheese, yogurt, …)
B. Cereal and starchy products (rice, noodles, cookies, ...)
C. Fats and oils (butter, olive oil, cream, ...)
D. No, I don’t care about claims about nutrition and health

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Question 19: Are you ready to pay more for healthier alternatives?
A. Yes
B. No
Question 20: Compare characteristics of healthy alternatives with traditional version:

Healthy alternatives 1 2 3 4 5 Traditional version

Lower price Higher price

Less delicious More delicious

Less available in stores Always available in stores

Poorer nutritional composition Higher nutritional composition

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